President Adama Barrow used his latest stop on the Meet the People Tour in Busumbala to issue a sharp warning to residents of Kombo, arguing that opposition leadership in key political offices is slowing down the region’s development goals.
Speaking to a packed gathering, the President reminded residents that the purpose of the nationwide tour is to listen to communities and understand their priorities. He said the government is taking note of the concerns raised across the country.
“What I want the people of Kombo to understand is that we came for the Meet the People Tour, to listen to your aims and aspirations and all that you requested,” he said.
Barrow then turned his attention to the political landscape in Kombo. He said the community made what he called a serious error by entrusting important positions to the opposition, insisting they lack the capacity to address the area’s needs.
“In the politics of this country, I don’t think we have made any mistake like giving chairmanship, councillor and National Assembly positions to the opposition,” Barrow said. “What the people of Kombo need, the opposition cannot provide.”
He listed basic services such as clean drinking water, electricity, proper roads and adequate health facilities as priorities the opposition has failed to deliver. According to him, these are the issues residents continue to demand, yet development remains slow because the wrong people are in charge at the local level.
“If you give all your important political positions to the opposition, any challenge you face is something you helped create,” he told the crowd. “I think this is a great mistake for you the people of Kombo.”
Barrow also criticised the local councils, accusing them of struggling with even the simplest tasks, including waste management. He questioned their usefulness to the community if they cannot address basic services.
“The simplest things like managing your waste, your area councils can’t do it. Then how useful are these people to you?” he asked.
The President urged opposition leaders in Kombo to work with the central government if they want to see development projects take shape, saying they cannot do it on their own but also make it difficult for others to step in.
He then shifted his remarks to the National Assembly Member for Busumbala, who was absent from the meeting. Barrow questioned why the legislator would refuse to attend an event he is required by the Constitution to join.
“Your Busumbala NAM, where is he? He will not come here, and here is the place where your problems and needs should be addressed,” Barrow said.
He accused the NAM of blocking progress in the constituency, claiming the lawmaker neither supports road projects nor allows others to push them forward. Barrow urged residents to reflect on the impact of such political choices.
“He is a NAM but he doesn’t want to develop your roads and will not allow anyone to develop them for you. This is something we have to be very mindful of,” he added.
Barrow’s remarks are among his strongest criticisms yet of the opposition in Kombo, coming at a time when political competition in the region remains high. The Meet the People Tour continues as the President and his delegation move across the country to engage with communities and assess ongoing development challenges.
Is rather unfortunate hearing a Head of State behaving like a child at political rallies across the country. I am calling on the President to behave well as he is not an ordinary citizen but instead a Head of State. Maturity is key when a leader is addressing his or her people. We voted him for change and development