By Kebba Ansu Manneh
Seedy Cham, Chairman of Coalition for Progressives Gambians (CoPG) has vowed that the November 11 protest will go ahead as planned, noting that the protest will only be canceled if the Government of Adama Barrow shows commitment to addressing the numerous demands submitted by his movement.
“With or without a permit the movement will stage its much-talked-about protest that is meant to hold the government accountable to the citizens. The movement is empowered by section 25 of the Constitution of the republic that allows citizens to vent their anger and frustration as spelled out in the constitution anytime they deem it necessary,” he vowed.
He continued: “We haven’t changed anything as far as the planned November 11, 2022, protest is concerned. The situation of the country is so dared and unbearable and it cannot be business as usual. We are determined to hold our government accountable for the suffering of the Gambian people. As I said the protest will go ahead and we are calling on all Gambians to join us in putting pressure on the government to change the status quo of the Gambian people.”
According to Mr. Cham, their demands are for the government to make a thorough investigation into the AKI deaths, implement the recommendations of the TRRC and bring down the prices of basic commodities to the level of the common Gambians.”
He further vowed that CoPG doors are always open for dialogue and consultation with the government to address rampant corruption, mismanagement, and misappropriation of public funds, poor health service delivery among others, noting that so far, the movement has held one consultation with the Supreme Islamic Council (SIC) on matter relative to the movement and the role the council could play in brokering the peace with the government.
“The Government of President Adama Barrow has failed the masses that are currently going through very difficult times as far as survival is concerned. The government has not been doing efforts to tackle corruption and mismanagement of public funds by failing to investigate the numerous corruption scandals unveiled in the country and this cannot continue, it has to stop,” CoPG Chairman disclosed.
He added: “Government has failed to investigate the corruption scandals that have been happening at various offices including the scandals that hit the High Court as well as the Gam-Petroleum case. It is our duty as citizens as inscribed in section 25 of the constitution of the country to manifest our dissatisfaction and distaste for the ways are manners the government is handling the state of affairs of the citizens, this is why we are calling on all to join us on 11th November 2022, to amplify our calls on government to take the needful actions.”
He emphasized that the Coalition of Progressives Gambians is apolitical and comprising of supporters and non-supporters of political parties with the sole aim of keeping the government accountable through peaceful means, adding that the 11th November, protest is that of a peaceful protest where CoPG will peacefully protest to drawing government attention to the daily sufferings Gambians are going through.
“The only thing that can make us call off this protest is that the Government shows absolute commitment to addressing our demands. Our demands are many but the immediate ones are for the government to make a thorough investigation into the AKI deaths, implement the recommendations of the TRRC and bring down the prices of basic commodities to the level of the common Gambians,” Seedy Cham, Chairman Coalition of Progressives Gambians submitted.
