The Gambia For All party has issued a statement to opined on the current predicament of the country. As the global pandemic hits the country, the party expressed concerns and call for the Head of State President Barrow to come forward and assume full responsibility.
The statement stated “we expect decisive leadership. The Head of State must come forward and fully assume responsibility for steering the ship of state to safety.”
It continues “The Gambia For All (GFA) from the onset has strongly advocated for strong and capable leadership and warned against the risk of reducing the crisis to its simplest dimension as just a public health issue.”
According to the party they respect and recognize the professionalism of the Minister of Health, and expressed belief that the full extent of the threat facing the nation is beyond the invocation of an obscure Dangerous Infectious Disease Act that appears to leave the responsibility of managing the crisis within the domain of the Ministry of Health.
The focus has to be on how to implement decisive medically advised measures that will lead to limiting the spread of this menacing threat, and at the same time ensure that the institutions of state do not collapse, leaving behind a paralyzed nation.
GFA believes that in view of the seriousness of the crisis and the threat it poses to national stability. They stated that National Assembly should convene an emergency session, via any safe means, and work closely with the Executive in a manner devoid of partisan politics to discuss and approve the implementation of measures geared towards defeating the spread of COVID-19 in the country.
Such measures they stated should include:
Strict implementation of medically-approved guidelines, which have been laid down by the Ministry of Health since the beginning of the pandemic and enforced by the security forces;
Mass testing of the population to discover the full extent of spread of the virus in the population, enabling targeted measures for greater effectiveness and efficiency;
Massive public education and sensitization campaign, emanating from the highest authority, which must emphasize the notion that COVID-19 is not only real, but everyone is vulnerable to the disease, and no one is excluded from the implementation of the limiting regulations; and
To support these measures, the authorities must also assess their impact on the livelihood of the population and apply corresponding mitigation measures that are devoid of political considerations and opportunism.
If we all act together with sincerity, having at heart the interest of the nation as our prime consideration, we can come out of this crisis stronger.
The party advises all Gambians to fully respect the health guidelines and protect themselves, in doing so we will be protecting others.
