Gambiaj.com – (BANJUL, The Gambia) – Opposition leader Ousainu Darboe has described the President’s State of the Nation Address (SoNA) delivered earlier today as largely routine, arguing that it offered little new to Gambians.
Reacting shortly after the address, Darboe said the statement read more like a catalogue of government activities than a presentation of new policy direction.
“It’s the usual statement. It looks like a report book on what has been done,” he said, adding that while the speech highlighted government achievements, it also indirectly revealed areas where progress has fallen short.
Addressing the issue of security, the opposition leader drew a distinction between the safety of the state and that of ordinary citizens. While he acknowledged that state security remains intact and generally unquestioned, he warned that personal security continues to be a concern for many Gambians.
“As far as state security is concerned, I think it’s really in place. That cannot be doubted. Individual personal security is a little bit problematic,” Darboe noted.
He argued that improving public safety would require sustained investment in the country’s security institutions, particularly in training and equipping personnel.
“We just have to provide training for our security personnel and give them the necessary tools they need to do their work,” he said, referring to the police and other security services.
Darboe also commented on the prominence of agriculture in the President’s address, saying its emphasis was expected given its central role in the national economy.
“No one can ignore agriculture. It is the backbone of the country,” he said, stressing that every government must prioritize the sector.
In his concluding remarks, Darboe underscored the importance of peace and stability as the foundation for national development.
“You cannot have stable progress without peace. It is only through peace and stability that all our developmental agendas can be achieved,” he said.
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