Africa-Press – Gambia. Continuing his Meet The People Tour, President Adama Barrow has registered his disappointment with the alkalo and the people of Sanunding village in Tumana for failing to recognise, praise and thank him and his government for the “unprecedented development” his government took to them.
President Barrow made this observation during a meeting over the weekend after Alkalo Alhaji Sellou Drammeh took to the podium and appealed for good roads and electricity expansion. Earlier, youth representative Sulayman Touray appealed to the president to improve the Fatoto Police Station by building accommodation for officers, saying they do not have decent housing. Speaker after speaker made similar appeals to the president and his travelling entourage.
Responding to the plaintive cries, President Barrow expressed his disappointment at the failure of the speakers to thank him for the provision of “unprecedented infrastructural development” in the region.
“What I want is that let us first acknowledge and talk about those works that have been completed so far, before making new demands. Many speakers who spoke here only made demands, but never commented on the works that I have done here,” he lamented.
He added: “All the electricity, boreholes and other infrastructural development I brought here for you… none of you who spoke here mentioned any of them. The only thing you are saying is to construct your road, whereas even the works in our own compounds, we could not complete them all at once. Even myself, I still have some works to do in my compound and I could not complete them yet,” he explained.
He said his government built 18 classrooms with 15 toilets and 10 bedrooms for teachers quarters in Sanunding saying over half-a-century since The Gambia attained independence before his ascension to power the village did not enjoy such amenities.
“I was thinking that when I come here, I would expect to hear from you the developments I have bought to you. But you are anxious, perhaps because you see my other development activities in other parts of the country. But let me assure you that I am your servant and I would continue to deliver because ultimately you are my boss,” he said.
President Barrow further reminded the community of Sanunding that he hailed from the region, and would extend development to all communities, as he is the president of all Gambians.
He said their cries for better roads would soon be answered.
“National development is not an easy thing. These roads that you are talking about, the cheapest kilometre of a road is D25 million. There is a reason why these roads were not constructed for over fifty years. But due to our sacrifices, ambition, good policies, programmes and competence, we are building them. That makes us different from the previous presidents, because they failed to achieve that. What I did in eight years, they could not do during their 50 years combined rule,” he gloated.
Reverting to his lyrical waxing, Barrow said: “If you have equal knowledge with someone, but he is more aware, braver and his plans are more strategic than yours, then his earning would be more than yours. That is the difference between previous presidents Jawara, Jammeh and I.”
He said his Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Welfare have a project to train 2,340 people on business and upon completion, D117 million will be granted to them to start business.
According to President Barrow, the beneficiary women will include: 113 from Banjul; 216 from Kanifing Municipality; 501 from West Coast; 293 from Lower River; 515 from Central River; 463 from Upper River; and 253 from North Bank regions.
President Barrow used the opportunity to call on the people in the area to pray for him to have the funds to build their roads.
He urged them to acquire voter’s cards and vote for him on 5th December 2026, at the presidential election if they desire to see him continue with his development works.
Agriculture Minister Demba Sabally outlined his ministry’s achievements, but raised concern about Gambian fertiliser being used as contraband and sold across the border. He appealed to the people of Basse to be vigilant and report anyone engaged in such acts.
The president and his entourage held a similar meeting in Sare Perasu in Basse constituency.
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