By Juldeh Njie
Whiles Gambian electorates are planning to go to the poll tomorrow for the parliamentarian election, the UTG Inter-Alliance for Change movement are busy unveiling their agenda and enlightening the public about their activities.
“The inter alliance movement for change formed in 2013 stands to fight the rights of all university students and as well speak for the voiceless,” the movement campaign manager, Sulayman Jammeh said during a meeting of stakeholders recently at UTG campus.
On the UTG election, Mr. Jammeh said the movement doesn’t present incompetent candidates to the public, saying their system is to enabling all aspiring candidates the opportunity to undergo proper screening, before they can run as candidate.
The Alliance outgoing chairman Bakary Fatty said the movement was formed to address problems faced by students at the University of the Gambia.
“We form this alliance to come together to serve as a pressure group to the main union. We have contested several elections but we always fall on the losing side. But we have an impact in the UTG community with regard to policies, programs and decisions of the student union,” he said.
He said as a movement they need not to be in power to effect change, saying “We believe that we can effect change at any time in the university. The only reason why we are contesting for the university student union is because that’s the right place for us to effect the needed changes”.
Mr. Fatty further stressed that the alliance was able to influence lot of decisions.
“Key among them was the grading system which was introduced in 2013/2014 by the UTG administration. It was due to our influence through the law student association the grading system was revoked,” he said.
The alliance aspiring presidential candidate, Modou Mboob said the members of the alliance are very proud of the influence and critical decisions they have taken over years.
He said the university students’ union is very weak compared to other unions around the world. “If I am elected to office, I will ensure that unionism becomes solidified to solve problems and fight for the interest of the students.”
