By Musa Bah
Your speech to the nation through the National Assembly was long overdue. In fact, we have repeatedly called for it and it is good that you have now done just that. Mr President, we listened to you, we have heard you speak and it is good that your speech was characterised by decorum and respect for the Gambian people. Gambians had almost forgotten about having a leader who addresses them with respect and dignity. So thank you for your timely, respectful and detailed address.
However, having listened keenly to your address, I have found that it is more of a report of past activities and achievements than it is of plans and objectives. This is not what we expected. Of course, it is important that you report what your government has achieved so far, but what next? What actually do you want as a legacy after 2019?
I [rather, we] expected to hear you tell us what or where you want the Gambia to be by the end of your three/five year term. In fact, come to think of it, do you intend to stay for three or five years? One would have thought that you will be explicit on that.
Again, we would have expected you to go into detail in the area of Constitutional Reform. Will we have a two term limit or? What are the plans to ensure that youth employment is solved? What will your government do to ensure that the huge number of Gambians going through the back way is reduced? All these and others are issues we expected to hear you outline in your maiden address.
Other than these, what we observe is the same thing past governments have been doing. The president goes to the National Assembly tells Gambians what they had achieved so far and that’s it. You outlined some policies and what are your priorities, but did not give us the overall endgame. Mr President, we expect better from you.
Please, give us a plan, a roadmap on where we will be by the time you leave office. But most importantly, how you intend us to get there.
Have a good day Mr President
