By Makutu Manneh
Seedy Njie, the deputy spokesperson of the ruling National People’s Party (NPP) and Deputy Speaker of the National Assembly, said President Adama Barrow’s administration is carrying out responsibilities that extend beyond those of the central government, arguing that it is also performing functions he said should be undertaken by local councils and the political opposition.
Speaking at a campaign stop in Banjulunding ahead of the December election, Mr. Njie said the government’s work has gone beyond its constitutional mandate. He did not explain how the administration was performing the responsibilities of local councils, but said opposition parties have failed to fulfill what he described as their role of holding the government accountable while contributing to the country’s social and economic development.
Mr. Njie questioned what he characterized as the opposition’s lack of tangible contributions, asking whether any opposition party had financed the construction of roads, schools, or hospitals, or provided financial support for community waste collection in any constituency or region.
He also accused opposition parties of hoping for setbacks that they could use to criticize the government.
According to Mr. Njie, opposition politicians would prefer to see electricity outages, stalled infrastructure projects, unfinished roads, and public protests in order to argue that the government has failed to deliver services and maintain security.
“This is their everyday wish. President Barrow is the most disciplined and tolerant president you can ever find in the whole world,” Mr. Njie said.
Turning to public safety, Mr. Njie said law enforcement authorities could not be present in every household and urged village heads and community leaders to continue raising awareness about domestic violence.
He described domestic violence as an issue of concern to President Barrow and the NPP and called on Gambians to promote love, mutual respect, national unity, and social cohesion.
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