By Kebba Ansu Manneh
Holland-based Gambian rights activist, Alagie Kijera, has observed that with the prevailing economic hardship the country is going through no right thinking Gambian will vote for the National People’s Party (NPP) candidates in the upcoming Local Government Election of Councilors, Mayors and Chairmen.
Kijera who is currently on holiday in the country made the observation in an exclusive interview with The Voice, where he also warned the people of the Upper River Region (URR) to reject the NPP government that forcefully impose payment of a bridge on the people of the region.
“I have been in the country for a while now but the prevailing economic situation for the average Gambian is so appalling and for me no right thinking Gambian will dare to vote for the NPP in the coming local government elections. It seems the government of President Adama Barrow is not aware of the situation of ordinary Gambians who are finding it very hard to make their survival in the country,” Mr Kijera said.
He added: “I think the government of President Adama Barrow has really failed the Gambians people because looking at the situation things are going from bad to worse in all spheres of development. Many people are going to sleep without food, many others are without jobs, crime rates, drugs and murder cases are on the increase and we are not seeing President Barrow fixing these problems. This is why I said no right thinking Gambian will vote for the NPP candidates in the forthcoming election.”
Mr. Kijera who hails from the Upper River Region also warned the people to learn their own bitter lessons of footing the cost crossing at the Basse Bridge, arguing that President Barrow and his government officials are not paying for crossing at any of the bridges in the country but only for the bridge in URR that was given to the country as a grant.
“For me, asking the people of URR to pay for crossing at a bridge given to this country as a grant is not only an insult but a mockery. It is insane for the people of Basse to be paying for crossing while leaving other people of other regions to use their bridges without payment. This should warrant the people of the region to reject any candidate vying for NPP ticket in the URR,” Kijera lashed out.
He added: “If President Adama Barrow who is a native of Basse cannot have sympathy for his own people who among his supporters will have sympathy for them. I will advise that the people of URR reject all the candidates of President Barrow for stabbing them on the back just one year after voting for him massively to maintain his position.”
The Holland-based Gambian activist also called on President Barrow to allow democracy to take its roots in the country and stop witch-hunting opposition political parties through instituting commissions that will further divide the country, adding that President Adama Barrow and his region have better things to concentrate on including provision of jobs to the youths, attending to the needs of the farmers, proving drugs to the hospitals as well as fixing the dilapidated tourism industry.
