President
Adama Barrow has said that a Ministry of Planning and Good Governance is to be
established to facilitate and monitor the development and implementation of a
blueprint for socio-economic development.
He
made this remark on Saturday during his inauguration and the 52nd independence
anniversary celebration, held at the Independence Stadium in Bakau.
He
added that the provision of quality social services is the fundamental
objective of the government under his presidency.
President
Barrow noted that all these issues would require sustainable macro-economic
stability and growth.
“This
is why I established a Think-Tank - The Agency for Sustainable Socio-Economic
Development (ASSED).
“It
is charged with the responsibility to establish an experts’ bank. This will
provide data on the different expertise available to share their knowledge and
skills. Their expertise will be tapped in order to put in place an inclusive
development agenda.”
Regional
administration will be done by public servants, not political appointees and
the pay and grading structure of the civil service will be reviewed and
pensioners will also benefit from the reforms, he further announced.
President
Barrow assured Gambians that state enterprises are to be reviewed with a view
to adopting policies that would ensure that they pay dividends to government,
instead of being a liability.
“The
government will undertake key constitutional and legal reforms, which will be
highlighted in my first address to the National Assembly, and it intends to
enforce constitutional provisions that are entrenched to protect the
fundamental rights of the citizens.”
Barrow
said orders have already been given for all those detained without trial to be
released, and the Attorney General and Minister of Justice will receive
information regarding all those who were arrested without being traced.
An
appropriate commission would be established to conduct inquiries into their
disappearances, he declared, adding: “A
Human Rights Commission will be established without delay to complement the
initiatives of the Attorney General.
“The
National Council for Civic Education will be provided with the facilities to
conduct civic education to promote national reconciliation, in collaboration
with other organizations that are set up to promote national unity and
reconciliation.
“The
judiciary will receive adequate support in terms of personnel and independence
to enable it to deliver justice without fear or favour.”
