In observance of the International Workers’ Day, the Gambian leader Adama Barrow has declared Wednesday May 1 as a public holiday throughout The Gambia.
Below is the press release issued by the State House:
The president would like to take this opportunity to thank Gambian workers for their incredible sacrifices for the progress of our dear country. Workers’ Day is an opportunity for all Gambian to not only enjoy themselves and spend time with their family, but also to reflect on how far we have come in improving the welfare and wellbeing of all workers in The Gambia. Just as the government has done with the 20% increment of salaries for civil servants this year, the Barrow government would continue to grow the economy in order to translate progress into tangible benefits for all and sundry.
The great performance of the economy demonstrates that Gambian workers are redoubling their efforts towards the realization of economic growth, leading to the country having enough foreign exchange to cover the import needs of the country for a period of five months. This has improved from less than one month import cover in 2016.
The Gross Domestic Product (GDP) has also improved, meaning that the value of goods and services in the country has been enhanced. In the same vein, the government is managing the debt of the country by reducing it to 88% from a whopping 120% of the GDP. The Barrow government also continues to manage its domestic borrowing, which has been reflected in the latest interest rates of the Treasury bills – dropping from 23% to between 4.5% – 9% in his two years of governing. Moreover, the government’s lending rate has also dropped from 23% – 30% to between 13% and 15%, respectively.
On that note, His Excellency, President Barrow wishes all workers a happy celebration.
Comments are closed.