“I want to assure you all that the prices of basic commodities will reduce drastically in the country because we are working in that direction. “We have the strategies in place now. The price of a gallon of oil was over D2300. However, it has now reduced to about D1600. We are going to use the same strategy in the issue of rice so that a bag of rice will also be reduced,” .he said yesterday during a meeting with district chiefs at his office at the State House.
“The development of the country remains a top priority for me and my government. We are working 24 hours in ensuring that this country is developed to meet other developed countries with tangible infrastructural development among others.”
“All what I am thinking about both day and night is how to ensure that this country is massively developed. Other people are talking, but I want to assure all Gambians that I will work tirelessly in ensuring that this country is developed,” he posited, while claiming that his office’s door is always open to discuss with Gambians on how to develop the country.
“The day I became president of this country, we only had one month's budget. However, before the world including the country started to encounter some difficulties as a result of the pandemic among others, I was able to move this country's budget to seven months. Therefore, if others are claiming that there is corruption among others in the country, then the country’s budget would have not reached seven months. These are figures that can’t be disputed.”
“The government removed millions of dollars in its reserve with the objective of helping Gambians. Therefore, if we were not ready to help Gambians, we would have not removed millions from our reserve and helped people. In fact, there is also a plan in the pipeline in order to remove millions of dollars from our reserve with the desire of helping Gambians.”
“The government subsidizes the patrol at a tune of over 1.5 billion dalasis. This was done with the objective of ensuring that the petrol is not at the hide side. Again, we even reduced the amount we were collecting in terms of taxes on patrol just to ensure that the price of petrol is stable in the country. I can assure you all that no one loves this country more than myself.”
Protecting the country’s resources, he said, is a priority for him and his government. “I will not sit and allow anyone to misuse our resources and I leave you there. However, judgements at court are not easy because you have to prove your case beyond any reasonable doubt. If you say someone has stolen money, you have to prove it and bring evidence.”
“It’s because of the democracy the country is enjoying and that’s why we have many platforms in the country. However, we want a democracy that will benefit Gambians because it’s the only thing that can move this country.”
The development the country registered during these past years, he went on, has never happened in the country before, while assuring that such development will continue. “I want to assure you all that I will protect your resources. I am not going anywhere after my presidency. I will be here in the country. I will never collaborate with anybody to destroy this country.”
“I didn’t come to this presidency to look for money. It is the will of Allah that I become the president of this country. The difficulty the country is encountering is the same difficulties other countries are encountering. However, during difficulties, it’s important that we all unite with the desire to overcome those challenges, but problems can’t solve them. Therefore, we all have to come under one umbrella and discuss among ourselves and share ideas in order to bring a lasting solution.”
Dawda Jallow, the Minister of Justice said the Anti-Corruption Bill is in the process, while the minister of Finance Seedy Keita spoke on the government's effort in stabilising the country's economy.
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