Africa-Press – Gambia. Hajie Suwaneh, Youth President of the United Democratic Party (UDP), has strongly criticized President Adama Barrow’s government over what he described as fiscal irresponsibility and anti-consumer policies that threaten The Gambia’s economic stability.
He was speaking in an interview with the Voice as he responded to the World Bank’s latest report on Gambia’s debt portfolio. Suwaneh said the report’s findings painted a disturbing picture of unsustainable debt levels caused by misuse of public resources and poor financial discipline. He warned that such mismanagement risked mortgaging the country’s future.
Suwaneh also took issues with recent decisions by the Public Utilities Regulatory Authority (PURA) and the National Water and Electricity Company (NAWEC). According to him, despite tariff hikes on electricity and water, the quality of services remain poor, with Gambians continuing to endure frequent power cuts and unreliable water supply.
Turning attention on to mobile data pricing, Suwaneh accused PURA of failing in its regulatory role. He recalled that when Comium introduced affordable tariffs, competition forced other providers to reduce prices and improve services. “Instead of encouraging competition that benefits consumers, PURA now seems to resist it, leaving citizens to pay higher prices without better services,” he lamented.
He further questioned government’s approach to pricing policies, noting that while mobile data tariffs are dictated by the state, essential food items such as rice and cooking oil are left unregulated. “This contradiction undermines confidence in governance and unfairly burdens ordinary citizens,” he said.
Citing a research by World Bank, Suwaneh stressed that internet penetration was a vital driver of national growth, with studies showing that a 10-percent increase in broadband penetration can boost GDP by 1.38 percent. He warns that raising data costs not only limits access to education, communication, and business but also hinders the country’s development prospects.
Suwaneh concluded by urging the government to prioritize accountability, transparency, and the creation of a genuinely competitive market that safeguards the welfare of Gambians.
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