By: Fatou Krubally
Mai Ahmad Fatty, leader of the Gambia Moral Congress (GMC) and a key political ally of President Adama Barrow, has hailed the President’s recent State of the Nation Address as a bold and forward-looking blueprint for national development.
Speaking to The Voice after the speech was delivered, Fatty described the address as “very clear, very emphatic, and very detailed,” saying it reflected a government committed to democratic values, economic progress, and national unity. He said the president’s message struck the right balance between celebrating achievements and acknowledging challenges.
“He spoke on every aspect ministries, agencies, and national priorities. The President was honest about the difficulties we face but also laid out the values of unity, dignity, and mutual respect that bind us as a nation,” Fatty said.
Fatty, whose party is in alliance with the ruling National People’s Party (NPP), pointed to achievements highlighted in the speech such as reduced inflation, expansion of electricity access to nearly 90 percent, and increased diplomatic ties as signs of growing international recognition.
“He mentioned 30 new accreditations to The Gambia, and that speaks volumes about how far we’ve come,” Fatty noted.
The GMC leader also applauded Barrow’s emphasis on youth employment, women’s empowerment, and human rights areas he said were essential to long-term national transformation.
Reacting to criticisms that the speech focused too heavily on the past, Fatty defended the approach. “This is a constitutional exercise. The president must account for what was done in the last year but he also spoke about the present and the future,” he said, pointing to plans for job creation and social protection for 16,000 vulnerable Gambians.
Fatty concluded that while no single speech can address every concern, Barrow’s address offered a clear roadmap for national growth.
“We are seeing a stable democracy, a growing economy, and a hopeful future. That’s what the speech captured and it’s commendable,” he said.