On the final day of a nationwide tour, President Adama Barrow issued a sharp response to criticism from Modou Lamin B. Bah, the Member of Parliament (MP) for Banjul North, reaffirming his administration’s commitment to transforming the capital and making clear that he will not be swayed by what he called “lectures.”
Bah had used the opportunity of the tour to call on the government to address urgent issues: inadequate incubators at the neonatal ward of the main hospital in Banjul, greater support for agriculture, and a boost to the Women Enterprise Fund.
But Barrow rejected the concerns. He insisted that he understood “Banjul’s realities far deeper and clearer than the MP” and that Bah had no right to “dictate” how development resources should be distributed.
In a forceful defence of his government’s agenda, Barrow announced that around US $43 million (D3.2 billion) has already been committed to Banjul as part of what he called “an unstoppable transformation.” He underlined that his administration remains resolutely focused on the city’s development undeterred by external demands.
As evidence of this commitment, the President revealed plans to support the local fishing community: a new cool room and a 20-ton ice plant are slated for construction, designed to ease the burden on fisherfolk. Negotiations are also underway with the city council to allocate space for a full Fisheries Centre in Banjul.
The public spat reflects deeper political tensions. While many members of Gambia’s main opposition United Democratic Party (UDP) parliamentarians boycotted the tour, Bah broke ranks by attending and used the platform to press for reforms. Barrow’s scathing response makes clear that the president is prepared to push ahead with his own vision for the capital, no matter the opposition.
Observers say the clash sets the tone for a potentially heated contest over the future of Banjul’s development and raises questions about just how inclusive the process will be if the president insists he alone knows what Banjul needs.
