By Haddy Touray
Saikou Camara, Administrative Secretary for Media and Communications of the opposition United Democratic Party (UDP), has criticised the government of President Adama Barrow, alleging widespread corruption, mismanagement and lack of accountability across several sectors.
In a statement, Camara questioned what he described as the government’s performance after nearly a decade in office, citing concerns in the trade, fisheries, transport, finance, energy, agriculture, health, education and local government sectors.
He alleged that audit reports and public controversies in various sectors point to systemic governance failures and questioned whether incidents of alleged corruption and incompetence should continue to be viewed as isolated cases.
Camara referred to allegations surrounding the dismissal of the former Auditor General, the management of fisheries licences, the Albayrak port concession, the sale of Mega Bank, electricity sector spending, and the handling of public resources in other government institutions.
He also cited concerns about the country’s energy supply, the state of healthcare services, agricultural support programmes, education challenges and land administration.
According to Camara, repeated audit findings and allegations of misconduct have not resulted in sufficient accountability measures.
He argued that persistent challenges in public service delivery, including unreliable electricity supply, shortages of medicines, youth unemployment and disputes over land allocation, raise broader questions about governance and leadership.
Camara said history would judge the administration based on its management of public resources and its response to the challenges facing ordinary Gambians.
He called on citizens to assess whether the country is better off after almost a decade under the current administration and urged President Adama Barrow to reconsider any bid for a third term in office.
The government has previously stated its commitment to transparency, accountability and public sector reforms, and has pointed to ongoing efforts to strengthen governance institutions and improve service delivery.