New Era begins in earnest

His Excellency President Adama Barrow has finally arrived home, and has been given a rousing welcome that befits a head of state.

But as he gets settled for business, he begins to come face to face with the realities of running state affairs and managing a nation.

Besides sorting out security matters, setting up a Truth and Reconciliation Commission to heal some wounds inflicted on many lives and domains of the nation by the previous regime, there are serious socio-economic challenges to address as the new era and new Gambia begins. 

Job creation, inflation and price rise, poverty eradication and many other social issues will pose serious challenges for the Barrow government.

Although the president has said he is happy that the bad part has finished, referring to the recent political impasse, he as well highlighted the fact that we have now got “the ball rolling”, which means confronting the challenges of managing state affairs to effectively transform the nation for the better, by rising to the challenges of ensuring good governance and bringing about national development.

The new political dispensation, as rightly stated by a lecturer at the University of The Gambia, in an opinion article, will be confronted with various challenges such as ensuring national security, stability and peace, fostering national unity and patriotism, ensuring Institutional reforms and good governance, putting the right persons in the right places, guaranteeing individual rights and related freedoms, and changing public attitudes and instilling discipline in Gambians.

UTG Assistant Professor Burang Goree-Ndiaye further stated in his article entitled “Challenges Facing the New Political Dispensation: What President Barrow needs is a ‘team of advisers’ composed of specialists in the key areas of development.”

He also says: “Making our country better and more prosperous for its citizenry is a collective responsibility. We have to put aside our personal interests, our ethnic, religious and political differences, unite as one people, as our Constitution enjoins us, make the necessary sacrifices and work for the progress, peace and prosperity of our beloved homeland.”

We think these salient points, as have also been pointed out by many other views and opinions, are worthy of note and consideration in building the New Gambia in the New Era of our nation.

“The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort and convenience, but where he stands at times of challenge and controversy.”
Martin Luther King, Jr.