The president of The Republic of Senegal, His Excellency Maitre Abdoulaye Wade has said that The Gambia is really developing under President Jammeh's visionary leadership, and expressed his appreciation of the brilliant efforts of the Gambian leader.

President Wade made these remarks Thursday at the Banjul International Airport, a few minutes before he boarded his flight back to Dakar, after gracing The Gambia’s 45th Independence Anniversary. "I am very much impressed with President Jammeh especially with the way Gambians and even non-Gambians in the country appeared in their large numbers to welcome us. The welcome we had this time was even more than the other time when I visited The Gambia because looking at the calibre and number of people who welcomed us, one would definitely know that the people of this country really appreciate President Jammeh and his development initiatives," Wade remarked.  

He continued: "President Jammeh has executed a lot of development projects in The Gambia and I am very much impressed with him. That is why I said I will send the Senegalese Television to make a big documentary of the development projects embarked upon by President Jammeh in The Gambia from 1994 to date, so that the whole world can see it and appreciate it. This will also prove to critics that President Jammeh is a good leader and he has The Gambia at heart.

"I will also make efforts to ensure that another big TV station outside Africa either in Europe or America comes along with the Senegalese TV to make a big documentary on President Jammeh’s development projects and achievements. This will make the outside world to know who actually President Yahya AJJ Jammeh is and how he really loves his country. He is doing well and the people need to be aware of the efforts he is making. Even though I understand that sometimes people criticise him and even me people do criticise me but that is not important. What is important is to have the majority by your side and President Jammeh already has the majority by his side due to his leadership qualities.”

The Senegalese leader said he was also impressed with the organisation of the independence anniversary celebrations with the school children, security forces and other groups marching past the president. "This is very important and I encourage him to keep up the good work. I also encourage him to continue the good initiatives he is taking towards cementing a better integration of the two countries; The Gambia and Senegal. I was very happy to see the Senegalese also welcoming us and participating very well in the independence celebrations," he noted.

President Wade also observed that the Senegalese nationals are the majority among the foreigners in The Gambia and even in other parts of the world. He further expressed delight that Senegalese nationals are successfully doing business in The Gambia. He finally thanked the people of Banjul and Gambians in general for the warm welcome accorded to him and his delegation.

Courtesy of GRTS