It is a common saying that behind every success there stands a woman. As society advances, this proverb has moved from being mere words to becoming a manifest fact.

Despite the endless deprivation they are subjected to both at the family and societal levels, women, particularly Gambian women, have proven beyond all reasonable doubt that they are the vanguard of our development process. This fact simply explains why President Jammeh is sparing no effort in ensuring that our mothers and sisters harness and efficiently utilize their capacities and potentials to become self reliant. Since the president called on Gambians to take active part in spearheading our own development, the women have always been at the forefront. From the extraction of crude resources to the service industry, our women are toiling, both day and night, to ensure the development of their families.

As the rains cool the ground, there is all indications that the women are set to respond massively to the president's back to the land call, the outcome of which will b used to feed the family. It was therefore no surprise that in an interview with GRTS, the president again reiterated his stance towards Gambian women, just as he has done at every given opportunity.

Their strong sense of devotion to the common interest, which is national development, is blatantly visible. Today, visit any part of this country and you will find women in agricultural production, in petty trading ventures, local manufacturing industries and even in capital intensive investments, all of this geared towards their efforts in ensuring the realization of the aspirations of the president in transforming this country into a Silicon Valley.

What is of paramount significance is, as the president himself put it, men should also take up their responsibilities so that, collectively, we can produce a better Gambia for all. The judicious exploitation of resources, the prudent direction of investments and positive orientation of technological development and institutional change is what can guarantee development. Such an objective cannot be achieved without a marriage of convenience between the men and their women counterparts in the process.

As men, therefore, we are obliged to complement the efforts of the women for the sustainable development of our country. The president, through his government, has provided the enabling environment that permits every Gambian to take center stage in our development. Our utilization of these opportunities in a way will have to do with true patriotism. Attitudinal change is therefore also fundamental.