Africa-Press – Gambia. Hagi Suwaneh, National Youth President of the United Democratic Party (UDP), has criticized President Adama Barrow for failing to address the challenges confronting Gambian youths, highlighting rising youth unemployment and growing migration pressures.
In a statement responding to the President’s recent Christmas address, Suwaneh described the speech as demonstrating a “troubling lack of empathy and urgency” toward the struggles faced by the nation’s young people. “The President failed even to acknowledge their suffering. This silence is not merely disappointing; it reflects a deep and dangerous disconnect between the Barrow administration and the lived realities of the nation’s youth,” he said.
Suwaneh drew attention to alarming economic indicators, noting that overall unemployment has risen from 4.13% in 2018 to over 6.5% today, while youth unemployment has surged to 10.92%. He blamed government neglect of critical sectors, particularly agriculture, citing the disparity between domestic groundnut prices and international market rates as evidence of systemic economic injustice.
“The government’s decision to purchase groundnuts at GMD 38,000 per metric ton, while the global market price stands at around GMD 88,000, is nothing short of economic injustice,” Suwaneh stated, emphasizing the need for fair pricing and support for farmers.
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