By: Sainabou Sambou
President Adama Barrow on Saturday 19th March 2022 embarked on a meet the people tour. The tour according to the NPP Leader was to interact with the people and use the moment as a period to campaign for his NPP and Coalition candidates in the April 9 National Assembly Elections.
Gambians around the Kanifing Municipality have expressed divergent views about President Barrow’s ongoing tour. Alasana Sallah a vendor at the Serrekunda market describes the president’s tour as a political one. He said the president should not have gone for the tour he should rather solve the problem between the rebels and the Senegalese soldiers who ran into the Gambia.
He further noted that there is no price control in the Gambia and that is a problem that must be solved before heading to campaign for his candidates.
“The president is using the state resources to campaign for his candidates which is wrong, he could have put those resources into something else,” he said.
Abdoulie Ceesay a vendor of second-hand clothing said President Barrow’s meet the people tour is very important because he wants to know the problems that the people are faced with.
He said President Barrow has all the right to campaign for his national assembly candidates and there is nothing wrong in doing that.
Binta Njie is also a vendor at the busy Serekunda market she expressed her dissatisfaction with the president’s decision to embark on a meet the people tour.
She said president Barrow should not go and campaign for his national assembly candidates, but the candidates should do that for themselves.
“He is using the state resources for this tour, we all know that when the president goes for a day’s tour, he uses a lot of money.” Adding that everything is hard in the country and the price of essential commodities are increasing.
“Everything is expensive and Ramadan is approaching, a cup of cooking oil is twenty-five dalasis (D25), a cup of sugar is twelve dalasis (D12) things are very expensive,” she said.
She further noted that there is war in the Casamance Region and the president should talk about it because the rebels say The Gambia has interfered in their war. She noted that the rebels normally run into The Gambia for safety so President Barrow should talk about that and prevent war in The Gambia.
Mass Corr another vendor also shared his thoughts about the president’s tour. He said the president has the right to meet the people and know their problems.
He further noted that the cost of living is very hard in the Gambia and the president should do something about price control rather than campaigning for his national assembly candidates.
