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Momodou
Denmark
11841 Posts |
 Posted - 15 Sep 2006 : 18:30:15
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FULLADU FARMERS VOW TO UNSEAT JAMMEH
By Fabakary B. Ceesay
The farmers of Fulladu West express their frustration over the lack of sale of their farm produce particularly groundnuts, for the past two years. These sentiments were expressed at a mass NADD rally in Brikamaba.
Addressing the crowd a youth farmer from Kasalan pointed out that many farmers in their village are yet to receive their monies. He said that most of them are only given receipts but were not told when they will receive their monies. He expressed his frustration for the future of farming in this country as far as the APRC is concerned. This youth farmer came with sixty two, names whom he claimed, defected from the APRC to NADD. Another farmer from Sare Malan said, he is yet to receive his money, amounting to D3,800. Farmers from the Satelite villages of, Brikamanding Medina, Sunchu Njanko and Jahally expressed similar sentiments. Two women farmers told this reporter that they are yet to get their monies amounting to D1,750 and D1,970 respectively. Brikamaba farmers said that their remaining balance of money owed to groundnut operators, amounts to D59, 850 which is yet to be paid. A farmer who addressed the rally and a NADD Chairman, Alhagie Lamin Nanko, both pointed out that since the APRC government came into power, their rice fields at Jahally and Pacharr have been completely destroyed and they are no more enjoying the privileges that they used to have as rice farmers.
According to him, the rice project at Jahally and Pacharr has been a complete failure under the APRC government.
Farmers from Boyram, who welcome the NADD entourage with horses and motorbikes and with a display of their voters cards in their hands, vowed to vote NADD into office. According to them, they know the contribution Halifa is doing for them at the National Assembly. According to them, the whole village used to be APRC and that there was no single opposition in the village. They said that, they wanted a government that will care for them. Addressing the desperate farmers, Lamin Waa Juwara, a NADD Executive Member told them that, The Gambia is a country where farmers contribute immensely to the development of the country. He said that, for the past years, farmers have lost their dignity and self respect under the APRC government. He told them that now the ball is in their court to kick the APRC out of office and bring the party that shall restore back the power that belongs to them. He pointed out that, farmers are the backbone of the country and that they should not allow anybody to fool them.
The NADD flagbearer, Halifa Sallah, told the farmers that a NADD government will invest in Agriculture inorder to alleviate the plight of the farmers. He said that, the reasons why the APRC government cannot invest in agriculture, is because they are spending public monies to celebrate the July 22nd and other un-necessary events. He told the farmers that, the D345, 000, 000.00 which the government took to buy the Ocean Bay Hotel, could have purchased their nuts and reinvest the profit into the Agricultural Sectors to produce farming tools an fertilizer at a cheaper rate for them. He noted that under a NADD government, farmers will be given rights to control the Agricultural Sectors and that their products will be marketed according to the world market price. At this juncture, farmers started to sing praises to Halifa and hailed him as their eyes, mouths and hands and vowed that they will vote him into office, come September 22nd pools.
Source: Foroyaa Newspaper Burning Issue
Issue No. 78/2006, 15-17 September, 2006
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