President Barrow continues his tour with meetings in Baddibu Kerewan, Noo Kunda, Njaba Kunda and Farafenni on Day Two of his ongoing tour. President Barrow informs the locals that the dark days of The Gambia where everything was around one person is over.
Speaking at his first meeting In Kerewan on Day Two of his nationwide tour, Barrow thanked the people of Kerewan for standing by him from pre-election to now. The people of Kerewan, he says, stood by him to effect the change people are enjoying now.
He reminded the crowd at a late night meeting he had in Kerewan during his campaign which was equally well attended by the residents. Things, he says, look promising for the country in terms of development projects that will significantly transforms the lives of Gambians.
Barrow used his meeting to hit back at his critics, who describe him as unfit to rule the country due to his silence on certain issues. He says he is not a leader who beliefs in lot of talks, but action, he said, is what Gambians need from a leader. He described those people as narrow-minded people. Gambia after 22 years of what he calls living under a dictator, needs a focused leader who has direction and plans.
Regarding the concerns raised by the locals, Barrow says the 2018-2021 National Development Plan covers all the key sectors for a prosperous country. “My government will not forget the people of Kerewa in our development agenda,” President Barrow pledges. Kerewan is the administrative headquarters of NBR, but not much is happening there, as even the President sleeps in Farafenni when on tour.
Barrow says he was embarrassed by this and promised to spend the night in Kerewan in his next tour. Also speaking at Medina Serign Mass on his first day of the tour on Monday, President Barrow reassures his commitment to the development of the country. The days of unlawful arrest and detention are over, saying The Gambia will be a country where human rights are respected. Here, the people also appealed for electricity, water and the need for the construction of the road linking the village to Bangali on the main highway linking Barra and Kerewan.
Bai Lamin Jobe, Minister of Works informed the people of Kerewan that the road between Kerewan and Njawara will be constructed.
Dr. Isatou Touray says the problems raised regarding the Kerewan Health Centre are going to be given due consideration. The health sector, according to the new health minister, is high on the government’s agenda. She admitted that there are lack of enough well-trained medical personnel, drugs and enough facilities.
Agriculture Minister Lamin Dibba said the government will ensure timely supply of fertilizer at an affordable price to farmers. However, he warned against reselling the fertilizer at an unaffordable price.
Speaker after speaker including Hon Alhagie Jawara of Lower Baddibu, Chief Fabala Kinteh, Women Representative Fatou Jammeh and Samboujang Conteh, all used the meeting to bring to the President’s attention to some of the problems confronting the people. Among them were poor road networks, poor state of the Kerewan Health centre and the needs to refurbish the Governor’s office and resident.
