By Alagie Manneh on tour
President Adama Barrow has exonerated his government from blame over the current hardships and rising cost of living in the country, saying those issues are a global phenomenon.
Addressing a meeting in Baddibu Gunjur on the second day of his meet-the-people tour, Barrow said 2022 has been a difficult one for governments all around the globe.
“The current hardship does not spare any country in the world. That is why there is so much noise, but it is neither the fault the people of The Gambia nor the government,” Barrow told a low-key gathering Tuesday evening.
Going philosophical, the president said there is cure and that is people must come together as one and chart a way out during such times.
“That is how you fight hardship so that you defeat it and free yourselves of it. One of my elders, Sidia Jatta, once said that when hardship strikes and you devise no way to free yourself from it, Allah will place more hardships on you. Therefore, The Gambia, we should be one voice, and see-through things as one so that we may take The Gambia forward.”
“You may say I don’t like President Barrow, but you must support the country and play your role in nation building,” he said. The President said any suggestion that he is not working is just empty words. “You have seen the electrification of the country, the roads being constructed, and the boreholes being dug. You have seen ambulances [across the country]. We are also building hospitals [like for example] in Salikenni. So everyone has seen my work,” the president said.
Groundnut season
President Barrow said he is aware of the approaching groundnut season, announcing a “nice price” for this year’s harvests.
“I know that we are in the trade season. People are harvesting and everybody is wondering what the prices will be. But I have brought a very nice news. Last year, we bought a tone for 28,000 dalasis, but this year I will add 4000 to the price and we will make sure groundnut traders have their money on time, because I know that farming is difficult,” he said.
He said there are some mysterious individuals who are bent on misleading Gambians, but he did not provide any details.
“They think that if they soil my reputation, my popularity in this country will die, and that people will vote for them. But they are fooling themselves. This position, only Allah can remove me from here. We have seen those who have tried five times to be presidents, but if Allah doesn’t give you victory you cannot be victorious. And you can’t also do anything about the one who Allah placed there. And it is Allah who placed me here. I’m confident that Allah will help me a lot,” the president said. The tour continues.
