By Binta Jaiteh
Members of opposition parties have expressed disappointment over last week President Adama Barrow’s State of Nation Address as they said the president failed to address the current situation of the country.
In an interview with Honorable Yaya Sanyang, National Assembly Member for LatriKunda Sabiji “this is the President by way of actions and deeds always reminding Gambians that he is not capable to lead this country. State of Nation Address should be a National day of serious reflection on the state of affairs of the Nation that are of serious concern to the citizens.
The government should tell the citizens about its commitments toward the implementation and the adverse findings of the auditor’s report that has indicted his government as the most corrupt government Gambians ever had. He said
According to him, by way of contract award manipulations, his address failed to mention the high cost of living in the country and the high cost of fertilizer to the farmers. Also, he did not mention why the country has lost the opportunity to host the OIC Summit as planned. He noted, too, that the cost of governance is very high, what has the government put in place to reduce the cost of governance, to redirect that money to other developments in the country?
Honourable Sanyang went on to express his disappointment that the speech was not truthful as it was a well-calculated performance to deviate Gambians from the realities on the ground. Gambians want a state of Nation address where the president will tell them why the country still has the presence of foreign troops in this country after 5 years of transition, who is paying them and what agreement Gambia has with Senegal why their troops dare to enter Gambia, especially Foni to do what they want.
Furthermore, “we are curious about the security arrangement between Gambia and Senegal. What is our foreign policy direction towards our interest in Senegal and Senegal’s interest in the Gambia? Our economy is suffering to the detriment of Senegal meanwhile our port is losing its value to the detriment of Senegal,” he lamented.
He said Gambians need a clear explanation of all these to make his state of Nation’s address genuine and a truthful one. Because “this government is not willing to tackle the problems affecting the Gambians because they don’t have the economic and policy wisdom,” he claimed.
Sheikhna Faal press secretary of Gambia Action Party in his own said “we still have incompetent Parliamentarians in that house who are not willing to accept the realities. I cannot understand the fact how on earth the Speaker will acknowledge such a statement as excellent when the burning issues in the country are not addressed.”
He said the President keeps on blaming the country’s misfortune to Covid-19 pandemic and the Ukraine war, “don’t be surprised to hear from him blaming the insurgent in Nigeria by Boko Haram as the reason we are facing difficulties the next time he comes to the parliament.”
However, he said, the maternal health or any health agenda the president termed as success are all proven to have failed “the health sector has failed but the President did not say out the plans to rescue but rather talking about expectations.”
“The recent failure of students in WAEC is a clear indication of failure as far as the educational system is concerned and the security threat facing Gambians daily is another concern. The draft constitution was killed and buried by his government just for their interest. Every nation is facing difficulties but their governments are finding strategies to tackle the problem,” disclosed Mr. Faal.
