Security Forces in The Gambia, together with the supporters of President Yahya Jammeh and the APRC party from Western Region, on Saturday assembled in Kanilai to assist President Jammeh in his farm, in order to complement his dreams for The Gambia to be food self-sufficient, by the year 2020.

Addressing over one thousand Security Officers in his home town of Kanilai, President Jammeh, said: “Whatever you do here, you are either the direct or indirect beneficiary, because today I don’t know how many students I have sponsored since 1994. First, we don't keep names or addresses, because I don't want to be praised. I am not doing it for publicity or for popularity. I am doing it for the Almighty God. If it were not that, I would have made a list of names of who I had sponsored to Mecca. How many students, who they are, or where did they come from. I don't sponsor based on religion, tribe or where you come from. I am doing it to make sure that this country move forward,” he said.

According to him, if all the Gambians have the interest of The Gambia at heart, nobody will suffer as we are a small country. “For the services, a strong nation is a nation that is united, respectful, and peaceful. Now, if you go back, those who don't want progress will tell you people like you went to the President’s farm to work for him. Yes, the farm is the President’s farm whatever the case may be the farm is produced here and is for everybody, even those who did not support us.”

President Jammeh added that this demonstration made by all the security apparatus in the country, shows that, they are “united and all one,” noting that it signifies that they can do a lot for the country. He said, if he is doing farming to get money, he will not farm, because feeding the people alone is quite expensive.  “So, whatever you do here, you either benefit directly or indirectly,” he said.

He then called on the security forces to see themselves as one and forget about tribalism. He told the men and women that if they are united, The Gambia will develop fast, but if they are not united, the country will develop slowly. He said “if the services have the same objectives, there will be no differences. A police should not see a soldier as enemy or NIA, Immigration, Prisons or Fire Services. You are all one and the same. Those who don't want service are the one who are there with an ulterior motive, by causing differences between services and they will not prosper.

These are the people who should not be maintained in the service, they should go home, as they do not wish the country well.”
President Jammeh then cited Canada and Japan as countries that are united and develop fast. He said a strong nation is a nation that are united and see themselves as one human being, noting that they should forget about whether you are a Mandinka, Jola or Wollof, but as one people. “You are not rivals, but partners in development,” he added.

For his part, Ousman Sonko, Secretary of State for Interior, said the entire Security services of The Gambia believe in the ideal of President Jammeh and support it too.  He added that President Jammeh’s call for “the back to land” is not only a call for him alone, but they feel as security officers, it is their responsibility to answer to the call.

SoS Sonko said they have a part to play that’s why they all came out to contribute their quota to national development because a hungry nation is an angry nation. He said it is the President’s drive to see that The Gambia gain food self-sufficiency, noting that if there is enough food there will be enough security, so that’s why they came out in their good numbers to complement President Jammeh’s efforts in his drive to eradicate hunger.

He added that his Department of State is not only to secure life and property, but also to help the country to be better fed. He said President Jammeh is a leader and a servant, but not a boss and that he leads by examples. “So, we should follow his footsteps for the socio-economic development of the country.

Brigadier-General Lang Tombong Tamba, Chief of Defence Staff of the Armed Forces, said the produced from President Jammeh’s farm is meant for all Gambians.  He said funds generated from the President’s farm, is used as food, scholarship for students, sponsoring people to perform hajj; and that they  have also gone to contribute their quota so that the President’s objective can be realised.

 Brig-Gen Tamba assured the President of the loyalty and commitment of the security forces to maintain peace and order in the country. “We also want to recognise the attention and recognition that President Jammeh has given to the Armed Forces and provided us with food, better accommodation, logistics and welfare. So, we say a big thank-you for the recognition you have shown to us as security officers,” he added, adding that the dream for The Gambia to become a Silicon Valley shall be achieved.

In another development, thousands of people from Western Region, led by Governor Abdou Badgie, were also among those patriotic Gambians who went to work in the President’s farm to complement his call on back-to-the-land.