Africa-Press – Gambia. President Adama Barrow on Thursday publicly dismissed concerns raised by Modou Lamin Bah, the National Assembly Member for Banjul North, declaring that lawmakers cannot dictate what work his administration should undertake in the capital.
Speaking at a “Meet the People Tour” gathering, Mr. Barrow responded sharply after Mr. Bah outlined several longstanding challenges facing the city, including persistent low water pressure—an issue the lawmaker said he had raised with the president as far back as 2023.
“Your NAM has spoken here, but I am telling him that no matter how much he knows Banjul, I know Banjul more than him,” Mr. Barrow said. “If being a marabout means knowing Banjul, then I have studied this city thoroughly. I know what should be done, and I am doing what I am supposed to do.”
Mr. Bah, in his remarks, urged the government to prioritize investments in the social sectors—especially education—while commending improvements in higher education. He also highlighted serious strains on the Edward Francis Small Teaching Hospital, the country’s primary referral facility.
“Just yesterday I visited the neonatal unit and saw three babies sharing one incubator,” he told the president. “This must be addressed, and I know with your intervention, much can be improved.”
The lawmaker also raised concerns over the rising cost of living and called for increased support for the agriculture ministry to strengthen food security. He praised the women’s enterprise fund but requested additional resources to expand opportunities for women in Banjul.
In his rebuttal, President Barrow insisted that conditions at the teaching hospital have improved under his administration.
“If you go to some wards, you will think you are in a hotel,” he said. “I brought that development; my government did that work.”
Mr. Barrow said efforts were underway to overhaul the city’s water supply, including repairs to aging storage tanks and a new nationwide project he said would benefit more than one million Gambians. He added that the expansion of Banjul’s Bond Road would proceed as part of the broader port development program.
“We know the challenges in Banjul, and we will address them,” he said. “But developing a country cannot be done in one day. Work they could not do in 52 years—we cannot finish it in nine.”
According to the president, his government has invested approximately D3.2 billion in the capital in recent years, with additional projects planned for the fisheries sector pending land allocation from the Banjul City Council.
Mr. Barrow also highlighted the government’s support for women’s groups in the capital, noting that 54 groups have received over D5 million in loans from the women’s enterprise fund. He said 103 women are scheduled to undergo business training, after which they would collectively receive more than D5 million in seed funding.
“We are helping the people of Banjul,” he said. “I grew up here, so your problem is my problem.”
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