By Tabora Bojang
National Democratic Party leader Kebba Madi Bojang has used his first rally in his native Jambur to renew his calls for opposition unity ahead of the December presidential election.
Addressing supporters during the rally, Bojang a former youth president of NPP before parting ways to form NDP, called for greater engagement among opposition parties emphasising the need for cohesion, dialogue and collectiveness.
He said Gambians are enduring a turbulent period under the NPP rule and have all come to the conclusion that change is the only way to alleviate their daily sufferings of lack of electricity, lack of drugs in health facilities, high cost of living and high rate of unemployment which he said is fueling crime among young people who remain hopeless and desperate due to lack of jobs and skills.
”With this problems, Gambians are looking up to us for salvation and we must unite and do the needful. That is to change this government from power. Our rivals in the NPP keep wondering if we are going to unite but I want to assure them that we the opposition are going to unite and rally behind one candidate for the interest of the country. And my advice to my colleagues is that whoever is called to lead, let us all accept it and support him or her. I also urge whoever is selected to accord maximum respect to all partners. As opposition, we should not harbour any anger or rivalry towards each other. We are all in the same boat trying to rescue the country. Yes, none of us is selected yet but whoever is given the opportunity, we should accept it as the will of God and support the person. To succeed, we have to unite,” Bojang advised.
As a president, one expects you to visit Banjul hospital all the time due to its close proximity to the State House so that you will have first hand information about what prevails there. For our agriculture sector, I cry if when I think of it. How can you appoint a nurse to a sensitive Ministry like agriculture? He does not know anything about the sector and no wonder he has caused immeasurable damages to that sector. Our farmers don’t see any productiveness in the crops. Our groundnut producing capacity has significantly reduced and there is no expectation anything will improve. Imagine, a minister saying giving donkey to farmers is better than tractors. If the president wanted a good agriculture minister, let him dismiss the current holder and appoint someone who is educated and understands farming,” Bojang charged.
