The Deputy Speaker of the National Assembly and Deputy Spokesperson of the National People’s Party (NPP), Seedy Njie, says the government remains committed to continuing its development programmes and projects, arguing that its focus is on building a strong foundation for the country’s long-term economic growth and development.

Njie said the government’s development agenda covers several key sectors, including infrastructure, education, healthcare, agriculture and social services, alongside efforts to strengthen public institutions.

He explained that the administration believes sustainable national development depends not only on physical infrastructure but also on establishing strong institutions capable of supporting the country’s progress over the long term.

“We believe that once you build institutions, then you have laid a foundation that will never crumble,” Njie said.

According to him, the government’s continued implementation of its projects, programmes and development processes is part of a broader effort to build the country, strengthen the economy and establish a development foundation that can benefit future generations.

He maintained that investments in infrastructure must go hand in hand with improvements in social services and institutional capacity, noting that education, healthcare and agriculture remain important components of national development.

Njie also highlighted human capital development as a central element of the government’s development approach, arguing that the country’s progress would depend significantly on the knowledge, skills and productive capacity of its people.

He said developing infrastructure alone would not be sufficient to accelerate national growth unless young people were equally equipped with the necessary skills and opportunities to contribute to the economy.

“For a nation to develop faster, of course, it must develop infrastructure, but also the young people, so that you give them knowledge in terms of skills and unskills, so that everybody is on board,” he said.

Njie stressed that empowering young people through skills development and capacity-building initiatives would help expand opportunities for self-reliance and ensure that more citizens participate in the country’s economic activities.

His remarks underscore the NPP’s position that national development requires a combination of infrastructure investment, institutional strengthening, improved social services and deliberate investment in human capital.

He maintained that the government’s ongoing programmes and projects are intended to establish a development foundation that can sustain the country’s progress beyond the implementation of individual projects.

By Adama Makasuba