Banjul North NAM Calls for “Second Liberation” of Africa in Africa Day Message

By CTV Africa

Modou Lamin B. Bah has called for a “second liberation” of Africa focused on economic independence, healthcare, technology, and trade, warning that political freedom alone is no longer enough for the continent’s survival and prosperity.

In a strongly worded statement marking Africa Liberation Day on Monday, the Banjul North lawmaker said Africa must move beyond dependence on foreign aid and imports and begin building its own systems for food production, healthcare, digital innovation, and industrial growth.

Addressing Gambians and Africans at large, Hon. Bah paid tribute to African liberation icons including Amílcar Cabral, Kwame Nkrumah, and Patrice Lumumba, describing Africa Liberation Day as “a living reminder” of the sacrifices made to end colonial rule across the continent.

However, he argued that Africa’s true liberation remains incomplete.

“The second liberation, economic and human liberation, remains unfinished,” he declared.

The lawmaker painted a picture of a continent rich in talent but trapped by poverty, weak healthcare systems, corruption, and economic dependency. He highlighted the struggles faced by Gambian youth and women, saying many remain excluded from capital, technology, and opportunity despite being the backbone of the economy.

Hon. Bah called for urgent investment in agriculture to reduce food imports, specifically referencing rice production in Jahally-Pacharr, while also pushing for what he termed “health sovereignty.”

He urged African governments to produce their own vaccines and medicines, train more doctors, and upgrade public hospitals including Edward Francis Small Teaching Hospital to world-class standards.

The Banjul North NAM also advocated for “digital sovereignty,” saying African youth must be equipped with skills for the Fourth Industrial Revolution rather than being limited to survival jobs.

On trade, he pressed for the full implementation of the African Continental Free Trade Area, arguing that small Gambian traders should be able to export goods across Africa without restrictions.

Corruption, he said, remains one of the biggest threats to Africa’s progress and must be dismantled to restore dignity and ensure public resources benefit ordinary citizens.

As part of his commitments to constituents, Hon. Bah pledged to champion a National Youth Enterprise Fund offering zero-collateral loans to young entrepreneurs, support women’s cooperatives, and advocate for a Banjul North Health Trust aimed at improving healthcare services and training nurses by 2028.

He also vowed to speak out against human trafficking and economic exploitation, describing them as forms of modern slavery affecting Africans both at home and abroad.

In a direct message to fellow lawmakers, the Banjul North representative urged them to “budget like a liberated people,” while calling on international partners to replace charity with fair trade and technology transfer.

Ending his address with the famous liberation slogan “Aluta Continua,” Hon. Bah told African youth that the continent’s future would not be handed to them.

“Africa’s liberation will not be televised. It will be industrialized, digitized, healed, and led by us,” he declared.