This is a very good moment to not only celebrate but to also take stock of the development trajectory of the country.
It is a fact that The Gambia has come a long way, especially having gone through the 22 years of Jammeh dictatorship and tyranny. Your administration has continued to change the country for the better, as the nation continues to enjoy some freedoms.
Today the people of The Gambia have got respite in the form of democracy, rule of law, human rights, freedom of expression and of the press and generally good governance.
Mr President, as we celebrate our independence anniversary, we should not forget that our economy is challenged by both internal and external factors mainly caused by the COVID-19 pandemic and the Russia-Ukraine war. The depreciation of the Dalasi is further exacerbating the internal economic issues we are faced with. The economy therefore needs proper management to make it better for the nation.
Mr President, moving forward, your administration should continue to work hard to handle the issues of inflation, which has adversely affected the population.
Mr President, government should also brace itself to properly take care of issues of security, health, education, energy, water supply, clean environment and transportation, particularly the ferries.
Mr President, it is also good to continue to fight corruption and take care of the farmers, who are working to produce what the country consumes in terms of food and foreign earnings. Agriculture, it must be stressed, is a key source from which The Gambia earns its foreign exchange.
Mr President, another issue of serious concern is education, as it is an important aspect of national development. In this sector, the teachers and lecturers seem to have been neglected.
It is therefore important, Mr President, to consider the plight of the teachers that work in double shift. They are not paid full wages; they get only their basic salaries, which equals to just one quarter of the salaries they should receive.
Furthermore, the conditions of teachers who teach in the provinces also need attention. And there are lots of teachers in the province who need good housing and incentives.
On a final note Mr president, it is good to boost the condition of the teachers with better pay and good accommodation facilities, as without them a nation will hardly be able to produce and maintain the human resources that will make the country develop.
Good day!