President Adama Barrow has made it clear that the head office of the Kanifing Municipal Council (KMC) "belongs to Gambians and not to the United Democratic Party (UDP)".
He says there will be no two governments at the same time, and as far as he is the legitimate president, he should be given the maximum respect he deserves with obedience in accordance with the law and in the interest of the nation.
President Barrow was speaking Sunday night at Talinding Buffer Zone in the Kanifing Municipality as the 2022 meet-the-people tour reached the KMC under the theme: "Together we can accelerate socio-economic growth and maintain peace and stability".
He advised KMC to closely work with the central government, adding that there would be no development in the KMC if they don't work with government.
Despite the fact that the new KMC head office was heavily funded by the central government, the president noted, its inauguration was heavily politicised, as no top central government official was invited, talk less of inviting the head of state. "It was so disappointing to behave in such manners," Barrow bemoaned.
He complained that the central government should have been duly invited to the inauguration of the KC Head Office.
"I didn't deploy the security to stop the inaugural process because my government is tolerant and working according to law," he said, advising the KMC to collaborate with the central government in the interest of the nation.
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His leadership, he says, is lawfully governed with principles hence he would not want to execute powers that are not in accordance with the law.
Responding to the question of crime rates in the country, Barrow applauded the security apparatus for doing their job well, and urged the public to cooperate with the security to fight against crime in the society.
He said the crime rate in The Gambia would continue to drop massively with the good performance of the security. He however urged the communities, especially parents, to partake in ending domestic violence by inculcating in their children good manners and virtues.
Calling for attitudinal change, the president said at the Buffer Zone meeting: "The Gambia does not belong to Adama Barrow but to all citizens. Even if you decide to be against me or my agenda, you should have the love for your country and strive to work in the interest of your nation as Gambians.
"We could be of different political backgrounds, but the fact is that we are all Gambians and this is what matters and most significant.
"Let's have the same vision for our nation and strive together. Whether you believe it or not, nobody will develop our nation for us; it is our collective responsibility to do that."
