By Omar Bah
The spokesperson of the opposition APRC has said former President Yahya Jammeh would have done a better job than President Adama Barrow in protecting The Gambia from Covid-19 pandemic.
Musa Amul Nyassi, who is also the Foni Kansala NAM, said the Barrow administration should have acted with more urgency to stop the virus from reaching the country as Jammeh did during the Ebola outbreak.
“Although the government is doing its best, they have not done much. If this was APRC government we would have taken strict measures,” Nyassi told Star FM’s wake up show to be aired this morning.
However, Nyassi aid he was not in support of the government’s request to extend state of public emergency.
“We should consider the underprivileged. I also believe people should have been given grace period and the government should have also made plans for the people,” he said.
Mr Nyassi further warned President Barrow not to politicise the Covid-19 issue.
“If he wants to use Covid-19 for political gains, he will be committing a political suicide. I can guarantee that. I don’t think that is the game he is playing and I hope he doesn’t do that,” Nyassi said.
He continued: “If he does that, then I will question what kind of a leader he is because this is something that scares the entire world. So I don’t think Barrow will take this opportunity to sell his politics. If he does that then Gambians should analyse and conclude the kind of leader we have.”
He said Covid-19 has exposed the country’s weakness and lack of proper organisation.
Repatriation
Nyassi said government should think of repatriating Gambians stranded in different countries around the world.
“We have seen other countries repatriating their citizens from other countries. I believe our government should do the same thing especially for those who want to come back and especially those in Senegal who went there on a business trip. We should engage the Senegalese government and see how best we can assist them during these difficult periods,” he observed.
Nyassi said the former ruling part is taking the virus very seriously. “We encourage collective and individual efforts to ensure that we contain the spread of the virus.”
Jammeh
Asked whether the APRC has been in touch with Jammeh since the outbreak, Nyassi replied: “No. I have not heard from Jammeh and I’ve not heard him talk to anyone about it. That is the fact. But I know his mind and heart is with us because we all know what he did during the outbreak of Ebola. He ensured that the disease didn’t enter the country. I am sure he will be very worried now that Covid-19 has entered the country.”
