President Jammeh condemns tribal politics As he addresses Brikama-ba meeting
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Gambia<http://observer.gm/africa/gambia/news>
Monday, July 18, 2011
The Gambian leader has warned against tribalism in politics, saying it only
creates problems in society and retards development.

His Excellency Sheikh Professor Dr Alhaji Yahya Jammeh made this remark
Saturday evening while addressing a meeting in Brikama-ba, Central River
Region (CRR) south, on day six of his ‘Dialogue with the people’s tour’. The
president noted that election results from the referendum to date indicate
that Brikama-ba has always been an opposition stronghold. “I will not help
someone who thinks it is only through tribalism that they can reach their
desire. There is no room for tribalism and it will not work here in The
Gambia so as long as I am the president,” he said.

He recalled that Brikama-ba was among the first villages to benefit from a
senior secondary school during the transition in 1995. “I will serve only
those who want development and not tribalism. Mandinkas ruled this country
for 30 years and all the tribes supported them, now why if other tribes
come, you should bring about tribalism. After I built a school for you in
1995 that was the time you started politics and those who claimed to be
Mandinkas came to you and deceived you, now go and table your problems
before them and lets see what they can bring for you,” said president
Jammeh.

He made it emphatically clear that he came to power with a clear vision and
must accomplish it. He put it to the people of Brikama-ba that electricity
will come and pass them to other areas.  “My government will consider taking
its development initiatives to the areas that have been supporting me before
we look at the opposition,” he said.

FAO presentation
Dr Babagana Ahmadu, the FAO country representative also presented some fish
to the Gambian leader at the Brikama-ba meeting. He said the fish were
proceeds from the aquaculture project in Sapu, a development project between
The Gambia and FAO. According to him this was in response to the Gambian
leader’s request to develop aquaculture in an attempt to address issues of
hunger and poverty in The Gambia as well as create employment opportunities
for Gambians. He said: “The project is the first of it kind in The Gambia
and it encourages opportunities for the communities around the area to prove
to them the possibilities in getting fish out of the river and cultivate
fish artificially on land.”

The FAO rep informed the president and the meeting that the project has
being running for a year now and has targeted 125 communities in the rural
Gambia. He added: “It has exposed the communities to the aquaculture
management, production of fingerlings and feeding of fish together with
compounding of fish in consultation with the Taiwanese fishing project in
Sapu. This is FAO’s contribution towards President Jammeh’s back-to-the-land
call to fight against poverty and hunger in The Gambia.”

The minister for Information, Communication and Infrastructure, Alagie Cham
called on youths to venture into skilful trades, emphasising that the
president has given them the much-needed support and the environment to
realise their potential. Minister Cham also highlighted the numerous
developments registered in the 17 years of the Jammeh administration
compared to 432 years of pre and post-independence. While urging youths to
tap The Gambia’s potential market, Cham also expatiated on the current
government’s support to that trade.

Also speaking earlier, the minister for Basic and Secondary Education, Aja
Fatou Lamin Faye told the people of Brikama-ba to be grateful to President
Jammeh, pointing out that Brikama-ba was among the many places to benefit
from the  current government. While singling out projects implemented in
Brikama-ba by the current government, the Basic and Secondary Education
minister also enjoined the electorate to vote massively for the president
and send their children, especially girls to school.

Minister Faye then presented a cash amount of D130 000 to schools around
Brikama-ba for students to party. Ousman Sonko, the minister for Interior,
as in previous meetings told landlords to be careful about the kind of
strangers they host. He further warned youths to desist from illicit drugs
and venture into profitable and legal trades.

Locals highlight concerns
Like in previous meetings, speaker after speaker took turns to heap praises
on President Jammeh for bringing Gambia to where it is today. However some
of them appealed to the president for electricity to be extended to
Brikama-ba and its satellite villages. The alkalo of Brikama-ba, Nano Ceesay
was the first to take the podium. He spoke extensively on the numerous
development projects recorded in Brikama-ba. However, he singled out
electricity and water as their major constraint. Mamadou Lamin Baldeh, the
chief of Lower Fulladu delivered the welcoming remarks. He thanked President
Jammeh for donating tractors to all the chiefs and women groups in the
country.

Yerro Mballow, the National Assembly member for Lower Fulladu also joined
other speakers before him to praise the Gambian leader for registering an
unprecedented development in the country within 17 years. Aji Fatou
Trawalley, lady councilor; Alhaji Omar Mamburay, youth leader; Pierre Bah,
chief of Niani; and Alhaji Kekuta Ceesay, chairman, Janjangbureh Area
Council all spoke at the ceremony.
Author: *by Musa Ndow & Hatab Fadera*

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*
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GOD BLESS THE GAMBIA.
LET US JOIN HANDS AND SUPPORT SHEIKH PROFESSOR DR. ALH YAHYA JAMMEH (NASIRU
DEEN) TO BUILD OUR COUNTRY. *


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