By Landing Ceesay
President Adama Barrow has begun the nationwide annual ‘Meet the People Tour’ on Monday.
The 18 days tour would run from 13th to 30th September 2021, according to the itinerary from State House.
Yesterday, the President crossed to the Rural Gambia at the Banjul-Barra ferry crossing point to a rousing welcome in Barra.
While speaking to journalists at the Banjul Ferry terminal prior to his crossing, President Barrow drew attention to the legitimacy and the importance of his tour.
“It is a constitutional requirement for the President to go round the country at least once a year to have a dialogue with the people, to discuss with the people, to listen to them and know what their problems are. So that we can see how best, we can help them. Because they are our partners, they are electorates; they are citizens of this country so they are part of this country. That is why it is very important for us to dialogue with them.
“Because of the dialogue we had with them last year, we know that they wanted ambulances, they wanted milling machines, they wanted tractors, that’s why today [13th September] we are fulfilling that. So our main objective is a dialogue with the people and it is a constitutional requirement as well,” President Barrow told journalists.
Section 222 [15] of The 1997 Constitution requires the President to undertake a nation-wide tour at least twice a year in order to familiarise himself or herself with current conditions and the effect of government policies.
During the Tour, President Barrow would conduct 20 General Meetings as well as inspect the ongoing road construction projects in Hakalang, Jimbala, Bambali, the OMVG power plant in Soma and other development projects across the Country, according to a statement from the presidency.
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