Africa-Press – Gambia. Hon. Billay G. Tunkara, the Majority Leader and representative for Kantora, on Wednesday mounted a firm defense of the government’s 2026 draft budget, dismissing opposition claims of excessive borrowing, inadequate education support, and poor fiscal priorities as unfounded.
Speaking during the National Assembly’s debate on the estimates, Mr. Tunkara said critics had mischaracterized the budget and urged lawmakers to rely on accurate information. “Anything you are giving in Parliament must be accurate,” he said. “Do your studies and do your investigation before you come here to mislead Parliament or give narrations that are really unfounded.”
He rejected allegations that the government is increasingly dependent on loans, arguing that both domestic and external borrowing make up only a marginal share of the proposed spending plan. “Go to page three; look at the foreign borrowing [and] amortization of domestic borrowing. It is just 2 percent of the budget,” he said. “You cannot come here and give things that are unfounded.”
Mr. Tunkara also pointed to large-scale infrastructure projects—particularly the OIC road network approved at a cost of $93 million—as evidence of responsible public investment. “Who can say that that road did not impact traffic, trade, and commerce?” he asked.
Addressing concerns about a reduction in government-funded scholarships, he noted that a newly approved student loan program offers an alternative route for financing higher education. “This Parliament has passed a bill; the student revolving loan scheme government will give you a loan, and once you start working, you pay it back,” he said.
He praised the administration’s commitment to education, observing that the Ministry of Basic and Secondary Education is slated to receive 13.59 percent of the national budget. “For any nation to strive and develop, you must invest heavily in education,” he said.
On health spending, Mr. Tunkara acknowledged ongoing challenges. “It is never enough to finance health,” he said, adding that the government is nonetheless working to improve service delivery.
He further commended recent reforms that he said have strengthened the country’s revenue base. “We are able to sustain. In fact, we can do without external donors,” he asserted.
Mr. Tunkara highlighted increases in agricultural funding as another sign of progress, noting that the sector is poised to receive 1.7 billion dalasis—its largest allocation in more than a decade. “For more than 10 years, agriculture did not have funding like this year’s 1.7 billion,” he said.
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