The Tourism minister, who is part of the President’s ongoing Meet the People’s Tour, said there should be maximum respect among the people and that The Gambia could only achieve its development pursuits through citizens’ participation, hard work and commitment.
Elders and leaders should be given the maximum respect they deserve, the minister said, adding that the negative comments on social media would be of no help and that people should endeavour to be part of the strive to develop the nation.
Minister Bah made these remarks at a meeting held on Tuesday at Makkah-Farafenni on the ongoing Tour, embarked on by President Adama Barrow. The minister noted that the Gambia government should also find ways with strategic plans and various initiatives to help the youth gain employment.
This year’s theme of the tour is: ‘Together we can accelerate socio-economic growth and maintain peace and stability’.
Talking about tribes, Minister Bah said that in reality, there is no tribalism in the country as people are inter-related through intermarriages, saying that Gambia with its size, is a close-knit society in which the people are related in one way or the other. He urged all and sundry to unite and pursue collective interests for national development.
With regard to security, Minister Bah said the Gambia government should guard against compromising the security of the nation. “We do not compromise the security of the nation and the people,” he emphasised, saying “Whoever instigates violence in the country the law will take its course.”
For The Gambia to overcome insufficient food supply or attain food self-sufficiency, Gambians should go back to the land to cultivate enough rice for the nation.
He says there are thousands of hectares of arable land for rice cultivation in such areas as Sabaj-Sanjal, Sami community, Jimara, likewise the surroundings of the Pakali Bridge. These are regions Gambians can venture into for rice cultivation to attain food self-sufficiency, the Minister noted.
He disclosed that President Barrow has already invited business people to venture into rice cultivation, with one of such investors having the capacity to cultivate 15,000 hectares for rice.
He highlighted with displeasure how young Gambians are suffering to eke a living in nations such as Dubai, Turkey and Europe.
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