Africa-Press – Gambia. Gambian activist, Madi Jobarteh has strongly criticised the Barrow Administration over the on-going privatisation of key state-owned enterprises (SOEs), describing the move as a dangerous sell-off of the country’s future.
In a statement released yesterday, Jobarteh compared Gambia’s approach to that of the United Kingdom, where the government recently nationalised its railway system to improve service and reduce fares. “While advanced economies are returning critical services to public hands, The Gambia is doing the exact opposite,” he argued.
Jobarteh blamed the failures of SOEs not on public ownership, but on widespread corruption and poor oversight by government institutions, including the National Assembly and State House. “SOEs like Gamtel, Gamcel, GPA, and GCAA can be viable,” he said, “but they have been deliberately weakened through mismanagement and lack of accountability.”
He questioned why private firms like Alport and Africell could thrive while state-owned bodies continue to struggle. “It’s not about capacity,” he said. “It’s about political will.”
Jobarteh accused the government of hiding behind buzzwords such as “public-private partnership” and “asset recycling” to justify selling off national infrastructure, including the Senegambia Bridge and the Banjul Port. He said plans to privatise the Banjul Airport further prove that the government is “mortgaging the future of the country.”
Calling for urgent reform, he warned: “History will judge those who sell off national assets instead of fixing them. We must not let this continue.”
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