Yanks Warns Of Economic Collapse, Blames Barrow For Gambia’s Mounting Debt & Lost Opportunities
Brikama Area Council Chairman Yankuba Darboe has issued a stark warning about The Gambia’s economic future, blaming the Barrow administration for rising debt, policy failures, and a worsening cost of living that he says are hurting ordinary Gambians and jeopardising future generations.
Speaking at the inauguration of a political bureau named after the late Nogoi Njie in Mandinaring, Darboe cited figures provided by former Finance Minister Amadou Sanneh, stating that the country’s foreign debt stood at 50 billion Dalasi when Sanneh left office in 2018. Darboe said the administration had a chance to secure major international support but failed to act in the national interest.
He referenced a donor conference where European partners pledged 1.4 billion Euros roughly 60 billion Dalasi for Gambia’s development. But according to Darboe, that opportunity was squandered due to political grudges.
“The Gambia lost 60 billion Dalasi from the donor conference simply because Barrow didn’t like Amadou Sanneh and Ousainou A.N.M. Darboe, and then went on to take another 60 billion Dalasi loan,” he said.
Chairman Darboe warned of the long-term implications of this borrowing pattern, saying that children born since 2018 are inheriting a heavy financial burden. “Any child born in this country has a loan to pay after birth,” he added.
He predicted that continued borrowing under the current leadership could lead to the collapse of the Dalasi and possibly push The Gambia to adopt the CFA franc, a move he described as “dangerous for the country’s independence and well-being.”
Darboe criticised the administration’s handling of the economy, pointing to soaring prices for basic goods. He said a bag of cement that cost 100 Dalasi in 2021 now sells for 500 Dalasi, while a bag of rice has doubled from 1,000 to 2,000 Dalasi. “If Barrow wins again, a bag of rice could cost 5,000 Dalasi before 2031,” he warned. “How many Gambians will be able to afford that?”
Despite rising costs, wages remain stagnant. Darboe said the Barrow government has failed to provide economic relief and has allowed the Dalasi to lose value. “Salaries will not increase, and the Dalasi will continue to depreciate,” he said.
He also accused the government of mismanaging key sectors like tourism and agriculture. According to Darboe, tourism once a vital source of foreign currency has been “killed,” leaving the country reliant on diaspora remittances. He expressed gratitude to Gambians abroad, noting that their support nearly 900,000 dollars in remittances has become a lifeline.
Darboe questioned the allocation of the national budget, criticising the government’s failure to address basic needs. He cited the deaths of over 70 children due to allegedly faulty medicine, farmers unable to sell groundnuts, and ongoing ferry problems.
He closed with a damning assessment: “A person who failed all his subjects in an exam why will you give him another chance? Ten years is enough.”
