“I can assure you the people of Upper Nuimi that my government will bring the much needed development to your doorsteps. You will get what you didn’t get for the past 50 years in terms of development. The rural electrification project will be expanded in the area and my government is committed in providing you with good roads network among others,” he said.
President Barrow was speaking at Lameng village in the Upper Nuimi District, North Bank Region (NBR) as he begins his 30-day countrywide tour.
The Lameng meeting was attended by cabinet ministers, senior government officials and thousands of his party supporters.
The tour is a fulfilment of a constitutional requirement for the president to tour the country every year with a view to discussing with Gambians some of the issues affecting them in order to address them as well roll out his government’s plans for The Gambia.
In the meeting, the president used the opportunity to welcome the defection of national president of Gambia Democratic Congress to his National People’s Party.
He said: “For the past 50 years the people of Upper Nuimi were neglected in terms of development especially in the area of good road networks. This will all become history as my government will champion lot of projects in the area especially in providing electricity, good roads and providing health centres with ambulances.”
The president claimed that this is the first time the people of Upper Nuimi are getting a good road after over 50 years of nationhood, adding that his government has injected millions of dollars in the road that is currently under construction.
“I promise you by 2025 wherever you are, even one compound you will get electricity. More than 100 villages in NBR will be soon having electricity. We will dispatch a team to come to the areas to access the education sector in order to provide them with more schools.”
“What we are thinking now is having ambulances in most of the communities throughout the country. These ambulances will serve as vehicles for referral of patients to the main hospitals. Whoever is sick and wants to go to the nearby hospital, an ambulance will come for the individual.”
He said currently they have more than 200 boreholes set for construction, citing that some communities of Upper Nuimi will benefit from these boreholes.
“However, development can’t come at once. You need to be little bit patient. I can tell you that next year by this time; you will only spend 25 minutes on this road because it will be completed soon.”
“We are currently in the groundnut trade season. Therefore, as farmers, it’s important that you sell your groundnuts to the government. The middle-men are only looking for profits. Selling your groundnuts to the government will enable us buy more fertilisers and farm implements for you.”
President Barrow also called for unity in the country, saying: “No one will develop the country for us and that we have to support each other and partake in nation building. Let’s continue on our development strides and allow those that are talking to continue their talking.”
In the Lamin meeting, local dwellers also pleaded with the president to help them with storage facilities for their farm produce. They equally urged President Barrow to help them with electricity, while they assured him of their continued support towards his government’s development agenda.
