By: Nyima Sillah
Ebrima Soriba, Former Secretary General, Gambia for Five years said it would be in the best interest of Gambian’s to have the ruling party (NPP) in charge of councils.
“Returning the incumbent (UDP) to council would be detrimental as it would only help to fuel the rivalry, party politics, and confrontation among themselves.
“The government is required to support the council, other funds and they are supposed to work hand in hand but UDP shall be active, shall continue to promote their party line, party interest which will not go down well with the government based on what is shown to the public,” Soriba told The Voice.
He argued that there would be continuous friction between the Government and the UDP lead councils if they returned to council, noting that all opposition parties shall continue to work parallel and continue to snub government policy guidelines which in essence would be detrimental to the fundamental interest of the country.
According to him, the recent issue that happened during the official opening of a complex at KMC, there was a scuffle between the council and the government which is not a good example.
“We need to have a uniform government service from the central government and the local councils or any other party for that matter. The NPP is the ruling party in charge of the government and it would be for the benefit of the people to have the NPP in charge of the councils for unity. I am not suggesting that the oppositions do not have the right to be voted for,” he justified.