Barrow warns civil servants

President Barrow warned that any civil servant who claims that he is not into politics, his name should be written because the “person is an opposition.”

“If you go to any of their offices and the person tells you that he or she is neutral and that the individual is not into politics, write his name because the person is an opposition. But we know who they are as we recognise them.”

“We have recognised them and we are following them one by one. The public service ministry will deal with them one by one. I want to assure the Minister that we will support you because no one is working for President Barrow but instead you are all working for the country.”

President Barrow, who was speaking at Basse-Mansajang, while responding to an issue raised by one Mawdo Susso, a native of Kundam, who alleged that some government officials are undermining the president’s development agenda.

“No one is going to dispute the assertion of Mr. Susso. What Mr. Susso said is the truth. There are certain government workers who would claim that they are not in to politics but are doing politics for other parties,” the President claimed.

 “Therefore, if you are working for the country, then you should do your work accordingly. If you come to work at 10:00 a.m. and me being the president is going to work at 8 a.m., because no matter how busy you are, I am busier than you. If you sleep until 10 a.m., you are betraying the country but not President Barrow. But I want to tell you all that we are going forward. We will never go back and they will never do anything that that will take us back,” he posited   

Barrow also spoke on the issue of young people embarking on the dangerous route to Europe through the ‘backway’, saying: “This is something that is a concern to us as many youths are losing their lives in their attempt to reach Europe. Therefore, due to our commitment in addressing the challenges affecting the country’s youths, we have launched a project that is geared towards creating youth employment in the country. Through the project, it will create 150, 000 jobs for young people of this country,” he promised.

He maintained that The Gambia government and the government of Saudi Arabia through their ministry of Labour have signed an agreement that would ensure youth of this country go to Saudi Arabia for jobs and acquire other skills.

Speaking earlier on, Peter Baldeh, the alkalo of Mansajang, thanked President Barrow for the numerous developments the region has witnessed under his leadership. However, he was also quick to make an appeal to the president, saying: “We know currently they are surveying some roads within Mansajang, but we want the president to help us and address it because the roads are terrible especially during the rainy season.”

“We also want NAWEC to expand their water system at Mansajang. We have more than 80 compounds at Mansajang but we struggle to get water as many of us get water at the government’s quarters.”

“We also want the president to help us and construct the bridge between Mansajang and Manneh Kunda,” he said, while recalling that some students who use that route to go to St George's Senior School or the Skill Centre at Manneh Kunda lost their lives.”

Lady Councillor Haja Jarie Jagana, underscored the significant development registered in URR under the leadership of President Barrow, ranging from roads, bridges and health centres. “However, I also want the president to help us with a garden, borehole, market for women and feeder roads as the road network within some communities are in bad condition.”

Minister Demba Sabally, renewed the government's commitment to agriculture, claiming that the region had benefited from a lot of support ranging from the provision of farming equipment, fertilizers, seeds among others. “The Ministry of Agriculture through the Roots Project will also be rehabilitating some gardens in the region that have some issues and will also be providing cattle drinking points among others.”

Laying foundation stone of Ahmadiyya Muslim Health Clinic

President Barrow also on Saturday laid the foundation stone for the Ahmadiyya Muslim Health Clinic in Basse which on completion will have 20 beds.

Barrow who spoke briefly at the event dwelled on the importance of health, saying: “The importance of health can’t be over emphasised as health is very significant in any developed or developing nation. All the infrastructural development can’t go in the absence of a healthy nation. I also want to thank Ahmadiyya because they have been contributing greatly in the country’s health sector.”

President Barrow also on Saturday morning laid the foundation stone for the construction of Early Child Development School at his home village of Mankamang Kunda. From the foundation stone laying, the Gambian leader and delegation also visited Bakadagi Senior Secondary School.