By: Kebba AF Touray
The National Assembly Member (NAM) for Sandu Muhammed Mahanera, said on Thursday June 20th 2019, the country needs an accredited laboratory and standardized products to be able to compete in the sub-region and the international market.
“We went on a tour and have learnt a lot. But for us to arrive at the set target of making Gambia become economically independent and self-sufficient in terms of food, we have to have an accredited laboratory and standardize our products so as to compete at the world market,” he told them.
He said domestic resources alone can develop the country when properly mobilized and managed; that this is one of the factors necessary for the Executive to work on with the Trade Ministry, to make sure ‘‘we have an accredited lab. in hospitals and factories to meet this target.”
Mahanera said energy is a necessity and that the Energy Act needs to be reviewed to ensure that all especially the provincial towns, are not deprived of energy supply. He recommended that there be an institution in the legislature to guide deputies to amend such Acts, to ensure that the people in the provinces are not deprived due to the size of their settlements.
He urged that institutions to serve the purpose for which they were established for; adding the National Assembly enacts institutional bills in order for institutions to provide services under their purview to the citizenry.
“When institutions are established by Law, they should be respected in the exercise of their responsibilities, but must also render services they are entrusted with to the people,” he said.
He appealed to the Works Minister to assess the feeder roads in Sandu as previously agreed, with a view to constructing them. This he said, will address the communication challenges of residents, boost trade and make access to health facilities easy in times of need.
