Amadou Jaiteh, leader of the opposition PROGRESS party, has sharply criticized President Adama Barrow’s recent surge in commissions for development projects, warning that timing them around politically sensitive periods risks turning essential public services into electoral tools rather than consistent state responsibilities.
Jaiteh acknowledged the value of initiatives such as the introduction of a grant-funded ferry service and renewed efforts in rural electrification but questioned why momentum in these long-overdue sectors has intensified only now.
“These projects are necessary and long overdue,” Jaiteh said. “No serious observer would question the importance of improved transport systems or expanded access to electricity. However, the issue at hand is not the value of these developments; it is their timing, their framing, and the broader implications for governance.”
Jaiteh argued that genuine development should be steady, predictable, and guided by long-term national planning rather than appearing in concentrated bursts. He pointed out that several of the projects now being highlighted, particularly in transport and energy, had faced years of delay under the current administration.
Citing the newly introduced ferry as an example, the PROGRESS leader stressed that it was funded by external grants from international partners, not solely by domestic resources. “Such projects are the result of international partnerships intended for public benefit. They are not political gifts, nor should they be framed as personal milestones of leadership,” he said.
On rural electrification, an issue that has plagued Gambian communities for decades, Jaiteh noted the recent urgency but asked pointedly: “Why now?”
He warned that when development activity clusters around election-related periods, it sends a dangerous message to citizens—that basic services like electricity, roads, and reliable transport are rewards tied to political calendars rather than fundamental rights guaranteed by the state.
“This is not an accusation. It is a matter of governance,” Jaiteh emphasised. “When development becomes concentrated around politically significant periods, it risks eroding the foundation of accountability and shifting governance toward perception rather than performance.”
The opposition leader called for a fundamental shift in approach, insisting that the government must serve the people consistently, not selectively. He referenced his party’s PROGRESS framework, which advocates for people-centered, accountable, and institutional governance rather than personality-driven politics.
“If the record of the current administration is strong, it should be evident through sustained delivery over time. It should not require a surge of project commissioning to demonstrate progress,” Jaiteh stated. “A credible legacy is built through continuity, not concentration.”
He added that in emerging democracies like The Gambia, the true test of leadership lies not only in what is delivered but in how it is delivered—with consistency, institutional integrity, and independence from electoral cycles.
President Barrow now faces a defining moment, according to Jaiteh, in shaping future expectations of governance. The question, he said, is whether development will follow a structured, policy-driven path or remain vulnerable to political timing.
“The Gambian people deserve more than periodic progress. They deserve a system that works for them every day—reliably, consistently, and without condition,” Jaiteh concluded.
“Because development, in its true sense, is not a campaign tool. It is a responsibility.”
Jaiteh’s intervention is seen by political analysts as an early shot across the bow, positioning PROGRESS as a voice demanding systemic reform over short-term visibility in national development efforts.
