By: Fatou Krubally
The Minister of Environment, Climate Change and Natural Resources, Rohey John Manjang, Friday called on Gambians to abandon the culture of blaming government for national challenges and instead embrace collective responsibility to accelerate the country’s development.
Speaking during the official handover of surveillance equipment to field personnel serving Indigenous and Community Conserved Areas (ICCAs) at the National Environment Agency (NEA) headquarters, Manjang said sustainable national development requires commitment, accountability and integrity from both public officials and ordinary citizens.
“This is our country. This is The Gambia. And we must change,” the minister said. “For the country to develop, all of us must change. No one should be left behind.”
She stressed that development should not be regarded as the sole responsibility of government, arguing that citizens must also take ownership of national progress.
“Government belongs to the people. If you do not take ownership and stop the blame game, then development will remain difficult,” she said.
The minister urged public servants entrusted with government assets to manage them responsibly and ensure they are used solely for their intended purposes, saying accountability and discipline are essential to achieving the country’s development objectives.
Drawing on her experience in public service, Manjang underscored the need for prudent management of public resources, noting that every individual has a role in ensuring government investments produce tangible results.
She also warned against corruption, describing it as a practice sustained by both those who offer and those who receive improper benefits.
“When we talk about corruption, there are always two parties involved,” she said, urging Gambians to uphold honesty and integrity in both public and private life.
The minister further encouraged citizens to hold themselves accountable rather than relying solely on external supervision, describing personal integrity as the strongest safeguard against misconduct.
“We have the technical capacity, we have the human capacity, and we have the strength to develop this country,” she said. “What we need is the commitment to do the right thing.”
The equipment handed over included motorcycles, surveillance gear and other operational materials provided under the GEF-6 Land/Seascape Planning and Ecosystems Restoration Project to strengthen community-based conservation and environmental monitoring in Indigenous and Community Conserved Areas.
Manjang concluded by urging Gambians to embrace a shared sense of responsibility, saying the nation’s future depends not only on government policies and programs but also on the commitment and actions of its citizens.
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