By: Fatou Krubally
Hon. Omar Jammeh, the National Assembly Member for Janjanbureh has raised serious concerns over the delayed delivery of tractors meant for Gambian farmers, calling into question the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock’s handling of the procurement process.
In a statement, Hon. Jammeh said the public deserves the truth about the supply of tractors, noting that while President Barrow’s government pledged 200 tractors in 2024, only 180 were put out for public bidding. According to him, two companies Yonna and GACH were contracted to supply 90 tractors each. The government initially agreed to a 25 percent advanced payment, which was later reduced to 12.5 percent due to claimed budgetary constraints. He stated that Yonna responded by supplying 60 tractors, but GACH has yet to deliver a single unit, despite repeated letters from the ministry.
“The question I continue to ask the ministry is why the budget for the purchase of 180 tractors was cut, and why GACH has not responded to requests from the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock,” Hon. Jammeh said. He also demanded to know what actions the ministry intends to take to ensure farmers receive the equipment they were promised.
Hon. Jammeh emphasized his oversight role and warned against the normalization of false information being presented to the public. He pledged to continue scrutinizing the process to ensure transparency and accountability, particularly given the critical role tractors play in modernizing Gambian agriculture and boosting productivity.