QUESTION OF THE DAY
Foroyaa is anticipating what is now referred to as the state of the Nation address after many years of giving the impression that the President was charged with the responsibility of opening Parliament on an annual basis.
Finally, Section 77 of the Constitution is being implemented. Subsection (1) of this section states:
“The President shall at least once in each year attend a sitting of the National Assembly and address a session on the condition of The Gambia, the policies of the Government and the administration of the State.”
The Public is waiting to hear a concrete plan of action on how the government intends to tackle the burning issues of the day such as the farming season, the electricity challenges, the prices of commodities, salary and pensions review, tolerance of religious and ethnic diversity, the constitutional, Security Sector, Civil Service and Transitional Justice reform agenda .
This is the opportunity for the executive to take a leading role in showing support for the introduction of term limit in the Constitution, the introduction of the second round of voting and voting by the Diaspora.
The executive keeps public trust alive by offering concessions to public demands. This is done by using commemorations to pardon prisoners and so on and so forth. What is going to be new this time? This is the burning issue of the day.
