BY Nelson Manneh
The former Secretary General of The Gambia during Jammeh’s regime Mr. Momodou Sabally said, The Gambia is bigger than all political parties in The Gambia. He made these remarks at a symposium organised by the Pro-Gambia Association in connection with the contribution of the Association in the peaceful and democratic transition of power.
The symposium was held on Sunday 23th July 2017 at the Semega Janneh hall in Tallinding Serrekunda east Mini Stadium.
Mr. Sabally acknowledges the efforts of the Pro-Gambia Association before, during and after the elections. He said, all the citizens of the Gambia should know that the country is bigger than Sir Dawda Keiraba Jawara, is bigger than Yaya Jammeh and is still bigger than Adama Barrow the president.
“All political parties are working for the betterment of the country. Politics is not a dirty game it only remains on the individual’s involved in it.” he said.
The former SG added that to criticise your government is not a crime but it should be done in a civilised manner.
“You should not insult your duties bearer neither their families. You give them the responsibilities and they have to deliver up to expectation but with time,” he noted.
Mr. Sabally said, to support a political party is a choice of an individual and is also another form of freedom of self-expression.
As young people Sabally said it is their responsibilities to take up charges and support any political party of their choice.
“No one owns the Gambia we should all be willing to suffer for our country,” he said.
James F Mendy the information minister of the Pro-Gambia Association who gives a roundup of the events hold by the Association before, during and after elections said, Pro-Gambia has done a lot during the time the Gambia was in need of its citizens to stand by its side.
He said before the elections the Association hold on series of fore rooms to sensitize the citizens about elections. “We also endeavor to meet some political parties with whom we discuss on several issues connected to elections. We also meet the election body IEC who gives us the mandate to hold on the election observation as domestic observers in which we participated,” He noted.
“After the election when Jammeh made a U-turn we also take the responsibility and meet several organizations to find way out for the Gambians. We even went up to Casamance in Senegal to hold dialog with their civil organizations there incase if things went out of hand,” he noted.
Mr. Mendy said, in Senegal they meet several institution to discuss on how to help Gambians who may decide to move there. He said they also meet the Gambians in their camps in Senegal during the impasse to help them and give them confidents and courage.
The information minister added that all this was done out of their pockets as they were doing all this without funds which is not easy.
The president of the Association Mr. Momodou Bah dilated on the achievements made by the Association and some of the challenges they are facing as an Association; among them Bah said include funds.
“We do all our activities on our own, we spend our own money from our pocket in all the activities we engage ourselves in which is not easy,” he noted.
The president of Pro-Gambia who is the founder of the association said, since the establishment of the association they have being working tirelessly to make sure they reach were they are today.
“All my executive members and other members have support the association in one way or the other. They participate in all our activities and never ask for payment. Despite the Association is not a profitable Association we need funds to run the Association and we are calling on all organizations both Government, non-Government and other philanthropies to support us,” he said.
Mr. Bah added that the Association will continue to make sure that it attain its aims and objectives and work towards the betterment of the Gambia our home land.
