By Makutu Manneh
The Center for Policy, Research and Strategic Studies (CepRass) is an apolitical institution, with researchers who do not align with any specific political party, a senior consultant said on Friday.
Dr. Mustapha Jobarteh, a senior consultant at CepRass, stressed that while individual members may hold personal political views, their work as researchers is impartial and transparent.
“The team that we have is a very solid team. Coming together for this important national duty is an honor, and we try to do our best,” Dr. Jobarteh said.
He noted that CepRass maintains full transparency regarding its funding sources. “There are many other civil society organizations that are getting their funding from NED to do activities relating to democracy and governance,” he said, referring to the National Endowment for Democracy.
Dr. Jobarteh explained that CepRass applies for funding openly and reports how every grant is used, detailing expenditures and activities.
He said the organization seeks to address gaps in public discourse, particularly the frequent reliance on opinion rather than data. “People speak in political discussions using the phrase ‘I think, I think’ with no data backing what they are saying,” he said. “That is not what is known in academia. When one speaks, facts must be presented with data. There is a difference between what you think and putting the facts out.”
Dr. Jobarteh added that CepRass projects aim to provide research that is representative and rigorously conducted.
“We are not saying we are 100 percent right but it is a very rigorous research. No research is 100 percent right but people have spent a lot of time trying to understand how research is done and once it is done properly the chances of you missing it are very small,” he said.
He emphasized that it is important for people to understand the value of polls especially when they are done rigorously.
Founded in 2016 by faculty members of the University of The Gambia’s School of Business and Public Administration, CepRass operates as an independent, non-profit research institution. It supports the university’s mission to advance high-quality research and provide professional consultancy services and is governed by a board selected from its membership.
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