‘I have systematically addressed the unfavourable state of affairs in Gambia’ - President Barrow
Banjul, Gambia (PANA)- “Over the past three years, my government has systematically addressed the unfavourable state of affairs we found in the country when we came into office. We have productively reconnected The Gambia with the global community,” President Adama Barrow told Gambians in his State of the Nation address of the 2020 legislative year delivered at the National Assembly here on Thursday.
He said “in the process, we have paid undivided attention on infrastructure development, energy, governance and legal matters, institutional reform and strengthening, amid a strong determination to guarantee and sustain lives and livelihoods.”
President Barrow emphasize that 2020 and 2021 would have seen the boosting of all these achievements and wrapping up of the National Development Plan programmes and activities in readiness for the Third Republic.
“Unfortunately, these are moments of uncertainty, as we cannot predict how the pandemic will evolve; but we hope for revival after this bitter experience. Meanwhile, the lessons to learn from this pandemic are clear. It has brought about a new social order that calls for discipline, collective action, determination and accepting reality as it is,” he said.
He added: “The indication is that we are in a health, economic and social crisis that will linger on into the future, and a situation that we may have to live with. It poses challenges to contend with, not only with resources, but also with all the courage and energy we can muster. In the face of all these, my government maintains that survival, lives and livelihoods come first. In other words, we rank the people higher than anything else.”
He encouraged all Gambians to remain calm, focused and dedicated to making a positive difference in the welfare of the nation, stressing that these are moments to build on resilience in order to achieve noble aspirations.
President Barrow stated that like other nations, the pandemic has struck the country and lives have been lost, and social life is no longer what it used to be.
According to him, there are fears and concerns about our wellbeing, and most families are worried about the survival chances of their dear ones, especially the elderly and other vulnerable groups.
“I convey heartfelt condolences to all the bereaved families, and I pray that all the departed souls rest in eternal peace.
"We must accept that we need to be more mindful of what we do, where we go and how we behave and interact. The situation calls for transforming our fears and faith into strength, protecting ourselves with all the precautionary measures and resolutions, while hoping for better days ahead,” he told Gambians."
With the wisdom that has come from this immense crisis, he calls on Gambians "to unite closely and contribute productively to our wellbeing in our various ways, as individuals, organisations and institutions, and as a government, a nation and a people bound by a common heritage."
President Barrow pointed out that the pandemic has taught us the need to cultivate a new culture of cleanliness, a new social order of living in harmony as human beings, a new political vision of working together and a new way of embracing solidarity.
“For our collective safety and survival, let us redefine our roles and development paths against the realities of the times.
"As we meet here, millions of people have already been infected with the coronavirus; hundreds of thousands have already died, and more are dying as a result of COVID-19,” he said.
-0- PANA MSS/VAO 17Sept2020
