By Momodou Jarju
A new political party, Gambia Action Party (GAP), has been registered on 17th January, 2019, according to a press release from the Independent Electoral Commission (IEC). The Release adds that the particulars of the duly registered party are as follows:
Party Name: Gambia Action Party
Party Leader: Musa Yali Batchilly
Party Secretariat: 14 Antou Badjan Street, Latrikunda German
Party Acronym: G.A.P.
Party Colour: Silver
Party Symbol: River Gambia
Party Motto: Mass Development through Mass Action
The New political party has disclosed that ameliorating the health sector of the country will be its top priority.
The Gambia Action Party (GAP) founded by Musa Yali Batchilly, is now the tenth political party in The Gambia, including the recently suspended National Convention Party (NCP).
Speaking in a telephone interview with this reporter, the administrative secretary of the party Muhammed LH Yaffa, said GAP has a socio-economic agenda which they will never deviate from, and building health care facilities is their prime concern.
“Under the leadership of the Gambia Action Party, we shall look into the health care system very well because no development can take place without health. If you are not healthy, you cannot work. If you are not healthy, you cannot attain anything. So health care facilities shall top our priorities, and shall be at the top Insha’Allah”, he said.
The news of the registration of the new party swiftly broke out on social media, with some Gambians questioning the need for a new party, owing to the country’s small population, whilst others welcomed the new party to the country’s political arena.
When quizzed about this, Yaffa responded that GAP will survive in the political arena, saying parties have been in the country for the past two regimes, but have not brought meaningful development Gambians longed for. This he said stimulated them to come up with an action party that is ready to “remedy the sufferings” Gambians are grappling with, in order to leave a good legacy for unborn generations to come.
The party is said to target every Gambian but in particular the youth and women who have been left behind for decades, according to Secretary Yaffa; that women and youth have been used in the past instead of being useful to themselves.
GAP leader Batchilly wrote on his Facebook timeline after registering with the IEC, that he is promising Gambians absolute truth, transparency, accountability and a competent administration and absolute freedom, as the party’s practice; that improving the livelihoods of the citizenry, reviving the economy, creating sufficient youth employment among others, brought about GAP’s formation.
“This can only be achieved through good governance, transparency and youth and women inclusion,” he stated.
Meanwhile, education and agriculture are other sectors that GAP prioritizes, according to Yaffa. He said the party wants to bring standard education and proper agriculture systems in the country.
“We will make sure that farm inputs shall be put into good use or sold after farming, because we have seen that farmers face difficulties. After going to the farm for three months, four months, at the end of the day their products are not sold. So we want to remedy that among others,” he explained.
Yaffa said GAP is not formed to insult anybody, any party, the incumbent president, or journalists but it is an action party ready to contribute its quota towards nation building; that they welcome President Adama Barrow’s led Government agenda but disclosed that theirs would also be accomplished.
“The development agenda that GAP has in store, will be implemented. We cannot sit there and fold our hands that the Government will bring development. How about us? If we have our development, we will implement it there. Remember this is a civic duty,” he said.
