Lawyer Ousainou Darboe, leader of United Democratic Party (UDP) has criticized the dire state of The Gambian economy, revealing that UDP government will fully implement Maputo Protocol and end rice importation into the country within 10 years of UDP government.
UDP Party Leader made this disclosure at a mass political rally hosted at Njaba Kunda, Central Baddibu district, where thousands of militants gathered to grace the event organised by All Baddibu Movement.
“If you give your votes for UDP government, what we will do is to allocate ten percent of the national budget into agriculture. We will set a target that will allow us to forecast how many tons of rice we will be able to produce every two years and within ten years no more rice will be imported into the country,” Darboe told supporters.
He added: “Once we achieve this set target, rice will become cheap and there will not be any excuses that the ship got delay or insurance issues. This has not been the thinking line of this regime and is only you the Gambians who can change this status quo.”
According to him, the Gambia Armed forces could have been utilised to boast agricultural productivity in the country, noting that the army is a place and in all countries they are great men grateful to partake in the productive sector of the economy.
“If you look at our army, they are not engaging in anything much, so we can use our men and women in the productive areas of the economy. We have Jahally Pacharr, We have Kuntaur, Niamina up to URR with vase rice fields. Am sure our soldiers will be very happy to be deployed and engaged in mechanized farming, produce enough rice in the country and end importation of rice into the country,” UDP Leader pointed out.
Dilating on the despicable health services provision in the country, Gambian former vice president Darboe stated that it is hard to believe that the entire Lower River Region of the country is without a hospital.
The opposition leader observed that Mansa Konko major health centre is the only major health center in the region has and it has been neglected by the government president Adama Barrow under the watch of the health minister.
“If you look at Basse how big that region is and how big the population is, there is no hospital. The major are lacking health facilities, even drugs you have to go and buy it for yourself.
“Those who are having kidney problems have no access to dialysis unless they buy it for themselves. How many poor people can buy a dialysis costing D4, 0000(four thousand Dalasi), if one has such sickness you can only prepare for graveyard, “Darboe denounced the government.
He further said that amidst these pressing national demands the current administration is not focusing on the needs of The Gambian people.
“UDP government will invest and enhance the health, education and agriculture sectors, he said.
He called on all UDP supporters to go all out to acquire there voter’s card, nothing that voter’s card is the only weapon to remove the current administration and replaced it with a UDP government.