By Makutu Manneh
As President Adama Barrow and his entourage held a joint meeting for Jarra East, Jarra Central, and Jarra West constituencies at Wellingaraba, the people who spoke on behalf of the districts’ residents demanded President Barrow and his government to provide their communities with good roads and electricity.
They also informed the President that they need farming tools, gardens, and skill centres for the youth.
Honourable Harouna Barry, the National Assembly Member for Jarra East, said there are communities in Jarra East that need good roads as the roads are in bad condition. He pleaded with the government to help them with good roads.
Barry further informed the president and his entourage (compromising ministers, directors, and various senior government officials) that they needed electricity in Jarra East.
“We want electricity in Jarra East. We usually buy ice blocks which are very expensive,” he said.
He also urged the president to help their women especially those involved in farming, particularly with tractors.
Barry also implored the Barrow administration to intervene and help women farmers in the area to maximise adequate profit from their farm produce.
The NAM equally called on the Minister of Youth and Sports to extend help to their youth by providing them with a mini stadium, “the football fields we have here are in bad conditions, especially during the rainy season.”
Ali Kumba Baldeh, the Alikalo of Wellingaraba reiterated that their farmers need tractors. He also informed the president that there were no medicines in their hospital.
Aja Sarjo Sabally, also a resident of Jarra, pleaded with the president to help them with gardens and equip their youth with skills by providing them with skill centers.
Karim Sowe, speaking on behalf of the youth, said, “The only thing to help our youth is to provide them with skills centres for them to have something to hold on to.”
Responding to the people of Jarra, President Barrow informed the people that Ten (10) Million Dalasi had already been allocated for in the 2024 budget for the women of this country.
He told the women that he always considers them and will involve them in his work.
On the matter of the youth, the president said he has agreed with the people of Saudi Arabia for Gambian youths to go there to work.
“Our youths going to Saudi to work will help us as a country,” he said.
He added that the youths of the country have to get up and work, adding that works such as bread baking, corner shops, and mechanic work are all done by foreigners.
He said the youths have to get up and work “you can take a horse to the river to drink but you can never force it to drink.”
Dr Lamin Ahmed Samateh, the Minister of Health, told the residents of Jarra that in a few months, medicine wouldn’t be a problem in the country.
“The President has told the Minister of Finance to increase the budget for health so that more medicine can be purchased because he doesn’t want medicine to be lacking in the country,” he said.
Dr Demba Sabally, the Minister for Agriculture, also told the people of Jarra that they are about to provide them with rice seeds that can grow both in salt and non-salt waters.
“Meet the People Tour” is a constitutional requirement for the President of The Gambia to meet and exchange ideas with Gambians.
President Barrow embarked on the tour on the 20th of November, 2023 at the provinces, and the tour is expected to conclude on the 6th of December 2023 by holding a meeting in Banjul.
