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by Madi Jobarteh
No community should go to State House to pledge allegiance to the President and request for public goods and services. That’s the beginning of politics of patronage and abuse of power therefore giving rise to Dictatorship.
Banjul should know better that the President is not a Burr nor is The Gambia a kingdom. We are a Democratic Republic in which the Government has a mandate to ensure that all parts of The Gambia enjoy quality, affordable and accessible public goods, facilities, infrastructure, services and opportunities. We all pay tax hence all must have equal opportunities.
Banjul has a city council which should promote the development of Banjul first and foremost through the resources generated in Banjul. Therefore the people and leaders of Banjul should rather converge on their city hall to discuss the issues and concerns of Banjul.
Secondly Banjul has 3 NAMs who represent them in the National Assembly which decides the allocation of public resources. Hence it is Banjul NAMs who should perform their representation functions in the Assembly to highlight the needs of Banjul to be addressed by the Government! So citizens of Banjul should engage their NAMs for their development or the lack of it.
But going to the President to beg is unbecoming of any self- respecting individual or community because the President is not the Pharaoh. The President does not have any favors to give and our development is not a charity. Banjul should demand development as a right by holding the President accountable and not to beg the President for development!
Otherwise is Banjul telling us that the President has elsewhere to get resources to develop Banjul other than from our national budget? What about other communities of The Gambia? Should they also come to State House to pledge allegiance and beg for public goods? Let us not reduce ourselves to beggars!
The decision of Banjul to go to State House yesterday to pledge allegiance to the President will only serve to promote patronage, corruption and abuse of power. They are making the President to use any other means, legal or not just to satisfy their demands in other to secure his own political objectives.
By making such an action Banjul has therefore weakened the ability of its own community to demand transparency and accountability from the President. It is such inability to hold the President accountable that we give fertile ground to corruption and abuse!
This is what we did for Yaya Jammeh until he ended up buying all communities and voices such that at the end most communities and people could not hold him accountable. This was because he had bought them with favours after they visited him at State House.
It is clear that Banjul will now not be able to hold Pres. Barrow accountable because they have given him their allegiance and made requests from him and if he fulfills those requests, how could Banjul ever ask questions about Barrow.
Effectively it means Banjul has closed its eyes, ears and mouth since they have submitted themselves as hapless beggars before the President. How could our capital city go so low when they are supposed to show leadership and responsibility to the entire nation?
Banjul has indeed failed The Gambia once again without surprise as they are notorious for aiding and abetting tyranny in this country! How can the most advanced part of the country act like its the most underdeveloped community in the country?
Banjul is the seat of our Government and enjoys the highest socioeconomic status and public services in the country! How therefore could they act like some remote backward village hundreds of kilometers away?!!!
I urge all villages or towns not to emulate this despicable and unpatriotic and corrupt and dictator-serving attitude of Banjul! Shame!
For The Gambia our Homeland.