I greet you and the First Family of the Republic of The Gambia with the greatest sense of respect. May I take this opportunity to thank you for the development you've registered since coming to power. And may I take this chance again to thank you for the sacrifice you took in standing against a leadership that was hard or almost impossible to defeat in an election due to many reasons depending on who you ask. 

Mr. President, the year 2016 was a difficult year in the country's political history, but Gambians, home and abroad who were against the former government, rallied behind you as a Coalition candidate to emancipate the country from what many called a "brutal rule" accompanied with gross human rights violations. 

Few weeks into the election period in 2016, the spokesperson of the Coalition, Hon. Halifa Sallah promised and reassured Gambians living here and abroad of a change and system of government that will meet the desires of the Gambian populace. This made many to throw their weight behind you. 

Upon winning the election, a few weeks down the line, the incumbent president, Yahya Jammeh came on national TV, and publicly denied the election results. Many Gambians ran to Senegal because they were scared that there could be a civil war. 

But thanks to West African leaders, Jammeh eventually agreed to leave the State House and moved to Equatorial Guinea. 

Mr. President, may I take this opportunity to inform you, as the father of the nation, that your children are crying. They're crying because there is still no peace and unity in the country.  

Mr. President, you may agree with me that the development of any country must be anchored on the observance of peaceful co-existence. I'm fearful of the political climate this country is going through. 

This country needs peace, unity, and tolerance and that lies in your hands. You're the man the country looks up to. So, your exercise of upholding the values of human existence and preaching peace instead of pontificating is therefore very important. 

Mr. President, may I also inform you that the rate of corruption continues to escalate, while measures to block revenue leakages continue to be compromised. Developing this country might seem hectic but many would be surprised to know that developing this country is not a difficult enterprise considering the presence of natural and human resources this country is blessed with. Developing this country would be easy if we have honest leaders. The rate of unemployment is alarming. The youths were promised jobs and decent living, but the opposite of what we desired continues to surface. 

For the Gambia, our homeland.

Ousman Jammeh