By Adama Makasuba
After a long mute and lots of pressure from the citizens, The Gambia President His Excellency Adama Barrow Friday delivered his fifth address to the nation on the national response to Covid-19 whereby he called for collective action to fight against coronavirus pandemic in the country.
President in his general call to The Gambia said “the reality is that we all have a stake in ensuring the enforcement of the measures put in place, whether we are in possession of authority and enforcement agents or a citizen or a resident of The Gambia, every one of us has the common responsibility to prevent, contain and stop the spread Covid-19,” Barrow told the nation.
He added:” no one will do it for us. We have to stand up in unity and act together as a nation.”
Mr Barrow reiterated his government commitment in fighting the virus in the country, and said his government has supported frontline institutions and health in the fight against the virus.
Meanwhile, he added: “Every law-abiding citizen and resident should abide by our pronouncement,” he said.
The President’s address follows after scores of Gambians took to social media demanding him to address the country.
Hundreds of the scores also lashed out at him for being silence amid sudden surge in virus cases.
But Barrow however said in his nation’s address “I appreciate that many of you would like me to address the nation often and I want to assure you, I will do so whenever the need arises.”
“I must emphasis however that the most important thing is taken collective action to enforce the messages in my address on the pandemic. Whenever I address the nation, I do so in the national interest.”
Meanwhile, his government has imposed a 21 days of night curfew to help contain the spread of coronavirus.
It also enforces 90 days of State of Public Emergency that closed worship places and schools and make wearing of facemasks compulsory.
The Gambia has up to date recorded more 1,872 cases of coronavirus and 63 people have succumbed to the virus.
