The Gambian president Adama Barrow has defended the Barrow Youth Movement. The Barrow Youth for National Development is a good move for development.
President Barrow says that anyone who against the movement has a hidden agenda yet to be shown publicly.
President Barrow made this defence at a mass political rally organised by the people of the upper River Region to express their gratitude for the launching of a landmark development initiation on his administration rolls for the people of the Upper Region.
The rally was held at Wuli Foday Kunda about 330km away from Banjul, the capital city of the Gambia on Sunday 16th December, 2018.
The president’s remark comes at a time when many Gambians both home and abroad are expressing there disapproval of the Youth Movements, comparing it to the former president Yahya Jammeh’s Youth Movement dubbed the Green Youths, who are accused of perpetrating crimes against Gambians.
The latest criticism against the President’s Youth Movements came from his Vice President Ousainou Darboe, who is also the leader of the United Democratic Party (UDP). He urges his party supporters to distance themselves from the so-called Youth Movement.
Lawyer Darboe said that he doesn’t recognized any Youth Movement other than the youth wing of the UDP, The party which President Barrow resigned from to lead a coalition of seven opposition political parties including an independent presidential candidate to end 22years of tyranny and dictatorship in The Gambia.
“If you have youths who are patriotic and love their country to their heart and willing to endeavour for the development of the country, I think you should give them all the support they deserved.” Barrow adduces at Foday Kunda, Wuli East Constituency.
President Barrow disclosed that the Barrow Youths for National Development are groups of youths who are endeavouring to change the living standard of lots of the Gambians, adding that his Youths Movement are not engaging in activities that are not in line with the laws of the country.
The Gambian leader emphasized that he will give the Barrow Youths Movements all the support they deserves hence they are out to complement the efforts of the government.
“We will support you because you are making boreholes for the people. They are making gardens for the peoples, public toilets for the people as well as milling machines for the community. I said this is only those who don’t have patriotism for the country are those who are feeling the pains of the movement,” President Barrow gives his words to the Barrow Youths Movement for National Development.
According to him, anyone who is bent on criticising the Youth Movements is harbouring hidden agenda against the youths whose only focus is to foreseeing the development of the country. He argues that there are many groups in the country who are not been subjected to criticism but why Barrow Youth Movements? He asked.
“There are many associations in The Gambia, any political party in the country have a youth movement, any tribe here has a youth movement and all these movements are here in The Gambia but today all the focus is on only one movement just to destroy its name, in their efforts to disintegrate the movement and that is the Barrow Youths for National Development,” President Barrow hits back at critics of his youth movements.
President Barrow said the youth movement has already started threatening many peoples in the country just because of the works they are engaging in, disclosing the youth movements plans to bankrolling 150 projects across the country, all is meant to change the lives of the people of The Gambia.
President Barrow advises the officials of the youth movements to open offices in every village of the country so as to ease communication between them and the peoples they intended to support.
He said he is not in URR for politics but to map out their challenges and help attract meaningful development for the people of the area and beyond.
Author: Kebba Ansu Manneh
