President Adama Barrow has urged legislators of the National Assembly to dialogue and initiate bi-partisan collaboration in a "positively democratic" manner as they discharge their responsibilities in the legislative chamber.
"I urge you to dialogue and initiate bi-partisan collaboration in a positively democratic manner," Mr. Barrow said, while delivering the State of the Nation's message on Thursday 8 June 2023 at the National Assembly.
"This would allow you to table issues not exclusively from political party perspectives, but from genuine patriotic standpoints and through the people's lenses."
"The legal frameworks, policies, and programmes developed and mentioned in my address are relevant and potent enough to guide the people to success," he told deputies. "Their effective implementation rests on the professionals and their action officers, but this Assembly and the public have a facilitating role to play in the process. I assure you that the Ministry of Public Service also has all the sector policies and will monitor their implementation."
"I thank you all and congratulate you on the successful completion of your first legislative year, and I encourage you to serve the nation better as legislators, compatriots, colleagues, and family."
"Mr. Speaker, the occasion accords me the privilege to thank our development partners, friends, and well-wishers, as well as all those gainfully engaged in the country and the people at large. The sectors have been doing well and we look forward to greater improvements as time goes by. I thank all of them sincerely."
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"I promise to serve this nation with a clear conscience, a clear vision, and clearly articulated and realistic development plans and programmes. Let us work in harmony to implement them together in our best interest."
The President also called for unity, saying politically, like all other nations, "we have our share of global concerns over internal security and crime, living costs, stability, employment, public service, and productivity. Nonetheless, the critical factor that threatens peace and development most is disunity. As I always observe, we may belong to different political parties, religious faiths, or other social groupings, but we must unite as a nation to realise our national targets."
"Honourable Members, the core mandates of the Executive, the Legislature, and the Judiciary are interlocked and require that we work together in harmony. No person is an island and no unit in an interlinked structure can function in isolation."
