‘Loans, grants can’t develop this country’

The lawmaker for Banjul North has argued that loans and grants alone cannot be used to develop The Gambia.

Honourable Ousman Sillah made this remark during a debate on the Appropriation Bill 2020 on Monday at the National Chamber in Banjul.

The Banjul North legislator further argued that The Gambia has natural resources that can be put into good use to boost the country’s economy without depending on the loans and grants. He added that nobody should have received less than D3,000 as a basic salary in this country, and thus urged government take further steps.

Hon. Sillah further challenged government to empower the youths by creating job opportunities so that the issue of irregular migration would be drastically reduced in the country. He warned that if government turns a blind-eye and takes no action to address the root cause of irregular migration, it will be hard to stop it.

Honourable Sillah noted that state owned enterprises should be the body to generate revenue for the country rather than depending on loans and grants.

He called on the government through the Ministry of Finance and Economic Affairs to encourage local investors to invest in the country in order to boost the country’s economy.