Photo: AP

Gambian President Yahya Jammeh, shown in 2006 after his election to a third five-year term. (AP photo)

The people of Lower River Region (LRR) have expressed their unending and absolute loyalty to President Jammeh and his government.

The locals gave the assurance Friday at a meeting held in Soma as the Gambian leader entered day five of his ongoing 2013 'Dialogue with the People Tour'.

Speaker after speaker acknowledged the numerous developments President Jammeh has brought to the people of the region, which they declared is now 100% APRC.

Speaking at the meeting, the governor of LRR, Lamin Darboe, and the National Assembly member for Jarra East, Hon. Bafai Saidykhan, welcomed the president and entourage to the region, while acknowledging the numerous developments he brought to the people of the region. Both made reference to the road infrastructure, Mansa Konko Health Centre and scholarships to students among a host of others.

They however, appealed for the extension of electricity to some parts of Jarra West and East, as well as the construction of feeder roads especially the Sutukung -Darsilimeh road.

The locals also declared that LRR is now 100% APRC, recalling that the ruling party swept the votes in the region during the last three elections.

The chief of Jarra West, Yaya Jarjusey, equally thanked the Gambian leader and entourage emphasising that what the president has done for the people of this country is uncountable.

For his part, President Jammeh thanked the people of LRR for the welcome accorded him. He underscored the crucial role played by Gambian women saying they are dedicated and committed to the development of the country. He also prayed that God continues to reward and give them the strength to continue to the good work they are doing.

The Gambian leader also promised to rehabilitate the road infrastructure linking Toniataba as well as give the women a tractor so as to boost agricultural production in the community. He however, advised that women groups be managed by the women themselves, likewise their male counterparts.

Responding to their request for mobility, President Jammeh, while admitting that mobility is a problem, suggested that it should be entirely handled by women, citing past experiences. "I have confidence in Gambian women," he added.

He also decried a new phenomenon in the society in which most men divorce their wives after bearing many children for them and even send them out of the compound without a genuine reason, only to marry another wife. The Gambian leader said this will no longer be accepted, and disclosed that his government will come up with a law and child protection laws meant to defend the rights of those oppressed wives and their children. He stressed that he is not saying people should not divorce their wives, but rather it should be for a genuine reason. He again hailed Gambian women for their dedication and commitment and urged them to increase Findi cultivation and other crop varieties like rice and others so as to banish hunger from the country.

The minister of Finance and Economic Affairs, who is also the APRC liaison officer in LRR, Abdou Kolley, and the minister of Youth and Sports, Alieu K Jammeh, both thanked the people of LRR for rallying behind President Jammeh.

Kolley underscored that the tour is not a political one but a development tour. He equally dilated on the remarkable achievements of the Gambian leader since 1994 while reiterating his clarion back-to-the-land call to "grow what we eat and eat what we grow".

Minister Kolley said that while farmers across the country are now preparing for yet another farming season, majority of the people in the farms are women and elders. He then implored on youths to embrace farming so as to develop the sector.

For her part, the minister of Basic and Secondary Education, Fatou Lamin Faye, said that since 1994 President Jammeh has been calling on Gambians especially the youths to go back to the land. She informed the gathering that WFP in collaboration with the government of The Gambia is devising a new initiative which encourages locals to grow crops that will be purchased under a scheme and given out to schools.

The mayor of Kanifing Municipal Council, who is also the National mobiliser of the APRC, Yankuba Colley, thanked the people of LRR for their remarkable performance in the last three elections. He used the opportunity to thank the people for their foresight and called on them to pray for President Jammeh.

Other speakers at the ceremony included Aja Fatou Njie Fofana, Regional Women mobiliser; Buka Fofana, youth mobiliser; and Seedy Cham, the APRC Regional chairman among others. They all thanked the Gambian leader and delegation. President Jammeh also donated a staggering sum of D700,000 to schools in the region.