The Gambia’s youngest lawmaker has criticised president Adama Barrow for failing to address the nation on urgent burning issues like the deadly Kush drug rampaging in the country and the ongoing cost of living crisis.

Bakary K. Badjie, National Assembly for Foni Berefet, who was reacting to Barrow’s Thursday State of the Nation Address (SoNA), described Barrow’s address as “disappointing” while adding that he was expected to talk on burning issues affecting citizens.

“We have not seen the president [Adama Barrow] talk about the rampant Kush drug that is taking the lives of young people. How does he intend to tackle this? We have not seen the president [Barrow] addressed the escalating prices of commodities and how he intends to tackle that.

“How he intends to tackle inflation and insecurity. The president should have addressed us based on that,” he said.

“The president is not actually addressing the needs of The Gambia on how he intends to tackle the problems. So we want the President to tell us how he intends to tackle the burning issues and the challenges the country is facing,” Mr Badjie added.

Reporting by Adama Makasuba