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GOOD MORNING MR. PRESIDENT

Apr 27, 2020, 11:35 AM

Mr. President, first of all, we take this opportunity to wish you, your family, government and the entire Muslim population a Ramadan Mubarak.

May Allah forgive us our sins, accept our prayers and fasting. 

Mr. President, we appreciate your decision to start unleashing your covid-19 relief programme which has long been anticipated by many Gambians.

During these past weeks, many philanthropists, organisations, institutions, pharmacies, area councils, political parties and individuals launched their various covid-19 relief programme initiatives and started distributing food items to needy families. These gestures were welcomed by all and we thank all of them for a job well done.

Together we can make a difference and can combat this pandemic, coronavirus from our country.

Mr. President, your decision to pardon 115 prisoners and launch of your covid-19 relief programmes to assist the needy in the whole country couldn’t have come at a better time than during this holy month of Ramadan.

We are expecting more to come whilst taking into consideration the water and electricity bills, more reduction on the price of fuel to help drivers recover losses caused by the reduced number of passengers and waiving school fees for students etc.

It’s gratifying to note that the Finance minister told the press on Friday that he would seek approval from the National Assembly over the D1 billion from IMF, and then inform them about the expenditures.

Mr. President, We are now in the era of transparency, accountability and good governance to boost your legacy. Your government should be accountable for any financial transaction and present statements of incomes and expenditures to the National Assembly and later to the media who can relay the message to the populace.

Mr. President, all health workers including cleaners of the hospitals and public health, security officers and immigration officers controlling the borders should be remunerated as they are all doing a good job to prevent the spread of the covid-19 in The Gambia. Health workers should conduct more tests countrywide especially at border areas.

More sensitisation should be done as many people in The Gambia do not know that there are three categories of getting the virus; the imported one, contamination from the patients and the most dangerous according to doctors, community transmission. People need to be educated on the need for social distancing and regular washing of hands and remove the notion that covid-19 is politically motivated.

Streets, public places and markets should regularly be sprayed.

Finally Mr. President, the distribution of your food relief items should be done equally without any discrimination or political affiliations.

Distributors should be neutral, honest and do it with transparency.

Good day!