The President of the Gambia Adama Barrow has said that National Wealth is the creation of all citizenry, through the contributions of all citizens and for all citizens to enjoy.”
“As it is a responsibility to defend one’s rights, so is it a responsibility to build and protect the national wealth,” he said in his New Year message on Monday.
According to him, successful nations have demonstrated this quite amply. Their human resource base has been at the core of their development.
He added: “Where natural resources did not exist, they used their brains to fetch them from wherever they could. As the human resource of this country, our collective challenge is to develop the country through our natural and acquired endowments.”
Ultimately, instead of struggling to search for greener pastures elsewhere, other nationals should struggle to come and live in The Gambia.
President Barrow has observed that the change of government in 2017 sparked a lot of political agitation and activity, which continues to gain momentum.
“This is part of democracy. Nevertheless, the debates and discourses that underlie political activities should be decent, constructive, positively productive and unifying,” he stated and also reiterated that this cannot be attained in the absence of discipline, proper education and orientation, maintaining the rule of law and respect for one another.”
He said 2018 would be remembered as the year Gambians broke down barriers and unlocked the doors to success, progress and development.
“It has been a year of success, inspiration, renewed optimism and hope. The result is that we have been inspired to believe in ourselves and build confidence to run the affairs of this nation.”
President Barrow said that during 2018, the whole world had opened up to The Gambia which was re-admitted as a respectable and dignified member of the comity of nations.
Diplomatic relations were established, friendships renewed, or mutually deepened with other countries and organizations, such as the European Union and the Commonwealth.
He also said that the economy that made the government nervous has now been revived, thanks goes most especially, to the European Union for spearheading the Brussels meeting on the economy last May.
“Of course, we will ever remain grateful to all other international organizations and friends who have stood by us,” the Gambian leader said.