1. FREEDOM OF SPEECH AND THE PRESS.
The Gambia was under a dictatorship and people feared to freely expressed themselves either in public or even with friends for fear of being arrested or reported. Journalists who wrote against the government were arrested and their media houses closed. All these changed when His Excellency Adama Barrow came to power.
2. RAPID AND UNPRECEDENTED INFRASTRUCTURAL DEVELOPMENT.
The major among these developments is the construction of the Senegambia Bridge which serves Gambia, Senegal and the subregion. This bridge brings enormous socioeconomic development to both countries and beyond. Thousands of kilometers of first-class roads and bridges have been, and are still, being constructed across the country.
3. IMPROVEMENT IN PRODUCTION, TRANSMISSION AND DISTRIBUTION OF ELECTRICITY.
This multimillion Dollars project has not only improved and stabilized power supply in the urban area but also brought electricity, 24/7, to the doorsteps of the rural poor more so to places like Kiang and Sami communities that had never, since before colonial times to date, dreamt of having electricity. This has greatly improved lives and livelihood of the rural poor. It is also reversing the rural-urban migration. Some youths with skills such as welding have returned home, from the urban area, to serve their communities by practicing their trade.
4. PROVISION OF CLEAN DRINKING WATER FOR BOTH DOMESTIC AND AGRICULTURAL USE
Hundreds of boreholes have been sunk and are being used across the length and breadth of the country. Communities and women garden kafos are benefitting a lot. One of the indicators is that there is improved livelihoods especial in the rural area where vegetable production has greatly increased. This has improved health by giving these people a better diet. In fact homegrown vegetables are now available throughout the year. To mention but a few, 90% of the onions used are now domestically produced.
5. AGRICULTURE
Due to the enabling environment provided under H.E. Adama Barrow’s leadership, the private sector such as Hamidou Jah are making huge investments in rice and other crop production. Most of the eggs and chicken consumed are now domestically produced by private individuals. Government is also investing hugely in agriculture to boost rice production in order to make the Gambia self-sufficient in rice. There are several government projects that give support to farmers in the area of animal production and marketing. Cold Stores ate also constructed to provide farmers and those involved in the agro-business, places to keep and preserve their produce to prevent or minimize post harvest losses.
6. EDUCATION
The University of the Gambia Faraba campus first phase has been completed and is being used as we speak. Thousands of classrooms, teachers quarters and toilets have been constructed for schools across the country to enable children access education. Gambia College Annex is constructed and is being used at Basse URR. This has greatly decentralized access to higher education in the country. The former Gambia Technical Training Institute (GTTI) has been transformed into a University to provide degree programs in the technology area.
7. JUDICIARY
The Judiciary is now independent whereby it can now operate without interference of the executive/President.
8. IMPROVEMENT IN LIVE AND LIVELIHOODS OF CIVIL SERVANTS
Salaries of civil servants have been increased twice, 50% and then 30% within a spade of seven years of H.E. Adama Barrow’s coming to office. Pension allowances have been increased to 100%. This has touched the lives of all Gambians although there is still need for another increment for both salary and pension allowances to be at par with inflation. The price of groundnuts has gone a record high in the 2023/24 trade season being even higher than that of our neighbors.’
9. HEALTH
Several communities have been provided with health facilities, Mankamang Kunda and Njau to name but a few. The facilities and human resources at our major referral hospitals have been greatly improved. Some major health problems that used to be treated outside, at a huge cost, can now be treated here in the country.
10. THE ENVIRONMENT
The Gambia is not only a signatory to many international conventions/protocols but also practices and has in place sound environmental policies. Major among them is the ban on the use of plastics and reforestation to replace lost flora and fauna.
11. FIGHTING CORRUPTION
The Commission set up for Area and Municipal councils is a clear testimony of the government’s commitment to fight corruption. The introduction of certain revenue collection systems to be used by Gambia Revenue Authority (GRA) has greatly improved revenue collection. This has sealed many leakages in revenue collection, that used to occur before the introduction of the system.
12. MULTIPARTY DEMOCRACY
No political party has ever been banned because it opposes government. Elections are conducted freely and fairly more than ever before. This has resulted in the proliferation of opposition parties which has risen to fifteen or more.
13. OUTSTANDING ACHIEVEMENTS
The Gambia has won the prize for the Most Peaceful President and we are the Chair of the Organisation of Islamic Conference (OIC).
The list goes on………….
