Canada-based Gambian Ahmad Gitteh has urged Gambians to vote for educated people in different fields of studies into the National Assembly to help close legislative gap in the country.
“Let us bring in people who are educated in different field of studies to the National Assembly. I am not saying we bring people from the United Democratic Party to the National Assembly. But if you have people who are lecturers in the National People’s Party encourage them [to contest], if you have people who are lawyers in the National People’s Party encourage them to contest and if you have people who are ex-soldiers encourage them to contest,” he urged.
“Let’s bring educated people who are professors, let’s bring in former police officers and former soldiers in the National Assembly but you select someone who no-one knows what he has studied. Even you bring him a passage to read is a problem, you bring a technical report he cannot understand,” he said.
He added: “how many of our National Assembly members today in our health committee knows anything about health? Some of them never passed biology in high school. In fact, they never know what biology is perhaps. They never passed chemistry much further mathematics and they are members in the health committee. What can they influence in health committee lets be serious?”
Meanwhile, he accused the party’s leaders in Brikama South of overlooking more competent figures in the party’s candidate decision for the upcoming National Assembly elections.
He expressed disappointment that the NPP picked Malanding Jabang over Mansur Sowe. Sowe had applied to be NPP candidate in Brikama South and has now gone on to contest as an independent candidate.
In endorsing Mansur Sowe, Gitteh insisted the man is more competent and accused the people of Brikama of marginalising citizens who come from other villages and towns in Brikama South when it came to position.
Gitteh said: “This one is not fair and we are going to put on this candidate. We’re not changing, we’re not bowing down. If you want to expel us from NPP, you’re welcome to do so. We are sending a clear message that we will not settle for mediocrity. We are sending a message that we have not fought for this NPP [for us] to become laughing stocks.”
