Gambian leader Adama Barrow said that The Gambia had moved from a national socio-political crisis brought about by undemocratic tendencies to a chain of global crises that have a revealing effect on well-being.be, the economy and the development prospects of the nation.
He added that, as a result, the evolution of its administration during these years was marked by the implementation of unplanned but pragmatic crisis management strategies, alongside a determined and successful execution of well-defined and impactful national initiatives.
He made this statement during the 2023 State of the Nation Address to the National Assembly in Banjul on Thursday, where he said that “As serious as the situation may be, my Government has successfully met national and international challenges to achieve remarkable achievements in various aspects of nation building.” “Infrastructure development, social services, digitalization, production, vulnerable groups (especially women, youth and people with disabilities), employment, trade, food security and energy are among the many issues that my administration places a sustained focus and priority on.
All are alive in my speech. We will strategically focus on people to build on our achievements,” he said. He added, “Indeed, 2022 has been eventful, especially for the Legislative Assembly, as it has led to the composition of the diverse Assembly we have today. The loss of a vice-president, seventy innocent children and other dear citizens are among the tragic events of the year. We pray that the departed souls will continue to rest in peace.”
President Barrow added, “Politically, like all other countries, we share global concerns about internal security and crime, the cost of living, stability, employment, public service and productivity.” He noted, however, that the most critical factor threatening peace and development is disunity. “As I always observe, we may belong to different political parties, religious denominations or other social groups, but we must unite as a nation to achieve our national goals.”President Barrow told the Gambians in his address on the state of the nation.
He added that “the fundamental mandates of the executive, the legislative and the judiciary are intertwined and require us to work together in harmony.” “No one is an island and no unit in an interconnected structure can function in isolation.” He said, “Once we have a common goal, such as the development and progress of the people we serve, there will always be a need to unite and a way to do so.”
Fortunately, we subscribe to democracy and can collectively come together around its principles to merge our programs in the national interest; that is, if we sincerely commit to supporting the people and acting on their behalf. “If democracy is not seen simply as a political tool to gain an advantage over others, but applied as a transformative social construct, our communities, institutions and the nation will fare better, and we will all live in peace. », he stressed.
President Barrow added that the recent local council elections provided a golden opportunity for the nation to put these democratic principles into action and to rise again in the global political landscape. He called on the hon. members of the House to dialogue and to initiate bipartisan cooperation in the exercise of their functions, in the exercise of their functions, in a positively democratic manner. This would allow you to raise questions not only from the point of view of political parties, but also from the truly patriotic point of view and through the lenses of the people.
“The legal frameworks, policies and programs developed and mentioned in my speech are relevant and powerful enough to guide people towards success,” he said. He said their effective implementation relies on professionals and their agents of action, but that this Assembly and the public have a facilitative role to play in the process. I assure you that the Puli Service Ministry also has all the policies and will monitor their implementation.
Source: PANAPRESS
