Government’s Persistent Misinformation on National Debt

“It deeply concerning over the continued pattern of misinformation by senior government officials regarding The Gambia’s debt crisis. Recent statements by the Minister of Information, Dr. Ismaila Ceesay, on Coffee Time with Peter Gomez, claiming that the country’s 2.2 billion dollars national debt is “not nothing, what is 2.2 billion dollars?,” are misleading and do not reflect the economic realities faced by Gambians.

Given the size of The Gambia’s economy and its population, our country is one of the most heavily indebted nations in the world relative to GDP and revenue capacity. To downplay this crisis is not only irresponsible but also an attempt to mislead citizens who deserve the truth.

Similarly concerning is the Minister of Finance’s claim that eighty percent of the national debt should be blamed on previous governments. This statement is demonstrably false.

In 2016, The Gambia’s national debt stood at approximately D47 billion. Today, under President Barrow, that figure has surged to more than D110 billion. This means that the Barrow administration has borrowed more than the Jawara and Jammeh governments combined. This is a historical fact that cannot be distorted by political messaging.

While it is true that countries around the world borrow, responsible governments borrow to fund productive, transparent, and cost effective projects. In contrast, the Barrow government has accumulated massive loans often tied to overpriced, non-priority or politically motivated projects that offer limited long-term benefits to citizens.

The government MUST:

Stop misleading the public on the true state of the economy.
Publish clear and transparent data on loan agreements, repayment terms, grants and project outcomes.
Prioritise responsible borrowing focused on productive sectors that grow the economy and reduce poverty.

Gambians deserve honesty, accountability and leadership that respects their intelligence. The era of sugar-coating economic challenges must end.”

Tombong Saidy

 “It deeply concerning over the continued pattern of misinformation by senior government officials regarding The Gambia’s debt crisis. Recent statements by the Minister of Information, Dr. Ismaila Ceesay, on Coffee Time with Peter Gomez, claiming that the country’s 2.2 billion dollars national debt is “not nothing, what is 2.2 billion dollars?,” are misleading and do The Fatu Network