By: Sandally Sawo
President Adama Barrow has welcomed to the NPP ranks over 300 youths, who joined the party on Thursday, barely two years before Gambians go to the polls.
The ruling NPP has been enjoying some growth in its popularity in the past few weeks as the party’s secretary-general continued to welcome new converts during his annual leave at his home village of Mankamang Kunda in the upper reaches of The Gambia.
The latest group to show its support and allegiance to the ruling party was the Youth for Change and Development (YCD).
YCD founder Buba Bojang was last week at the President’s home village with more than 300 youths in tow.
They were received by Barrow and senior NPP officials, including presidential adviser Dou Sano and NPP’s administrative secretary Seedy Sheriff Ceesay.
The Gambian leader was visibly elated and excited to receive the new NPP members, acknowledging that the party has been witnessing a growth in its popularity by attracting members from all the nooks and crannies of the land.
President Barrow emphasized that the more than 300 youths will spur NPP’s restructuring process.
He commended the YCD founder and his members for choosing the NPP and gave them assurance of the party’s commitment to work with the group. The President was enthusiastically overwhelmed with emotions by the number of people, who accompanied the YCD founder, to Mankamang Kunda.
The NPP leader admonished the party’s rank and file to embrace newcomers.
He also advised party executives to avoid undermining each other, asserting that the NPP’s chances in the 2026 polls will remain bright if they remain united by the party’s mission and vision.
The YCD founder Buba Bojang also a resident of Jambanjellythanked President Barrow for opening NPP’s doors to them.
“We joined the NPP to share our ideas and programs with them to help the government achieve its development goals. We believe our aspirations cannot be attained without strong institutions. We are not looking for positions or anything. All we want is to, through our masterplan, help the government effect the needed changes,” Bojang stated.
He explained that the group has developed a detailed manifesto to help NPP’s policies and ideologies resonate with the masses.
“We believe that government should not implement policies and programs that are not in alignment with the NPP manifesto,” he added.
Bojang said his group wants to champion the politics of truth and accountability.
“We want this country to serve as an example for other countries and we have the ideas to make this happen in partnership with the NPP,” he stressed.