#Editorial

Good Morning Mr. President: On ‘Set-settal’ (cleanliness), presidential motorcade and fertilisers 

Jun 13, 2022, 11:20 AM

Mr. President, the rainy season has begun and it's important for everybody to make sure that his/her house and environs are cleaned especially the markets and streets. 

The public health authorities, Food Safety and National Environment Agency should form a team to check on markets and places where foodstuffs are sold to make sure that they are  clean and safe to prevent diseases.

The health authorities should investigate the fish and meat ‘sniper’ issues and arrest the culprits to face the law.

It is a point of concern for the government to provide food testing machines in the food and safety laboratory to enable them to test foods in case of any suspected use of chemicals on food items.

Mr. President, the local government authorities should remove all the welders and garages using the streets as working place, as it affects the traffic and some of their chemicals and equipment can be hazardous to human life.

Public health and NEA authorities should be vigorous on their jobs because cleanliness is the order of the day as we are in the rainy season and malaria is always rampant during this time.

Mr. President, there should be a national day of cleaning called set-settal at least once every month for people to clean their compounds and surroundings as before and should not affect business.

The cleaning of the gutters should also be coordinated very well as dirt from these gutters are usually left along the roads for days, while some go back to the gutters and others cause obstruction on the roadsides.

Drivers are advised to drive with caution as the roads are usually narrow and wet and difficult to navigate when it's raining. Your government should also develop some major feeder and annexed roads within the greater Banjul area to make transportation easy. 

Drivers should also be warned about the transport fares because some would capitalise on the rainy season and the poor roads to increase the transport fares. 

Mr. President, there are many complaints about your motorcade blocking the traffic for several hours; it is not proper at all.

Some people may be sick, others going to work, schools or appointments. Please the Gambian people are appealing to you to talk to the IGP not to close the traffic for hours as this is affecting your populace.

Finally, Mr. President, farmers are complaining that the price of fertilizers is very expensive. 

As this is an effect of the Russia Ukraine war, the government should come up with Plan B to solve the problem. 

With the current crisis of the war, agriculture should be promoted by your government and cultivation of maize, early millet and groundnut must be highly encouraged. 

The war has affected the world tremendously with the spike in fuel prices and wheat etc. We must have strategic plans to survive and minimise unnecessary expenditures.

 

Good-day!