By Awa B. Bah
President Adama Barrow as mandated under the constitution, on Thursday 19th September 2019, addressed Deputies at the National Assembly.
The state of the nation address by the president to the National Assembly is an annual event when the president would address a session on the condition of The Gambia, the policies of the Government and the administration of the State.
The president’s address is undertaken pursuant to section 77(1) of the 1997 Constitution.
In his introductory remarks, the president said in view of the numerous events that happened within the 2018 Legislative Year, his address yesterday was a concise account of his government’s performance during the course of the year. He said it focuses on key achievements, legislative frameworks, policy concerns and other matters of national significance.
His Government, he said, attaches great importance to every public institution and sector’, because any sector that fails to perform well could undermine the performance of other sectors and the nation at large. With this, his address focused and discussed each sector, beginning with the economy, as it is the backbone of ‘our development framework’.
He indicated that national development must be all-inclusive, that is, it should filter down to all citizens. Confident that this would happen, proclaiming 2019 as a turning point in The Gambia’s development process, he said even though 2019 has not ended yet, the catalogue of events, the projects, development initiatives, results and proposed interventions mentioned in his address justify the proclamation.
A review of 2019, he said, shows unprecedented developments across the country, adding that the multimillion projects, especially in very deprived areas from Banjul to the URR, attest to this.
“The economic support, including the budget support from the International community; the 50% salary increase for workers across all cadres of the Public Service; the100% pay increase for pensioners ;the cash support to needy families, and the availability and affordability of food throughout the country have reached, directly or indirectly, all citizens in the country,” he said.
The provision of social amenities, with increased and steady supply of electricity and water, he said, has made social life amicable for all. He said the appearance of old and new political parties to partake in the very cordial political climate reflects “The New Gambia” in progress.
He added: “Through the TRRC, victims and bereaved families, he said, are coming to terms with their plight or the loss of their loved ones, and offenders are reconciling with their victims and themselves.”
“The effect of democracy, good governance and the economic situation brought about by my government has penetrated the entire Gambian societ, and has reached every community, every institution, every organization, every citizen and every resident in the country,” said Barrow.
The reforms, plans and achievements mean that things will get brighter and better, he added.
See next Foroyaa edition for the full address.
