Yankuba Darboe, Chairman of the Brikama Area Council (BAC), has accused President Adama Barrow and his administration of launching a targeted campaign against the council, claiming it is a direct response to their efforts to bring development to the West Coast Region (WCR).
In a fiery statement released on Friday, Darboe alleged that the government is attempting to undermine the council’s revenue streams following the disbursement of D28 million to the people of WCR.
“We knew well before the disbursement of our D28 million to the people of West Coast Region that the big-belly President and his cabal would come after us for doing just that – bringing development to our people!” Darboe declared, signaling the start of what he described as a political battle. He pointed to a series of actions by Barrow’s appointees, including attempts to divert council tariffs and property rates, as evidence of a coordinated attack.
Darboe cited previous government interventions, such as the “Operation Clear The Roads” initiative, which he claims cost the council D500,000, and accused the administration of escalating its efforts to seize control of BAC’s finances. “Now they are coming after our tariffs,” he said, referencing a recent controversy over property rates.
The BAC chairman singled out Chief Lamin Mondo Jatta, appointed by Barrow, for urging WCR residents not to pay their property rates to the council. Rather than condemning Jatta’s remarks, Darboe alleged that President Barrow’s adviser, Dou Sanneh, publicly defended him while nominated MP Maimouna Ceesay Darboe was instructed to take the issue to Parliament. “President Barrow is so easy to predict! All the people mentioned above are appointed directly by him. None of them are elected representatives of the people!” Darboe charged.
He further accused the government of spreading misinformation, particularly refuting claims that BAC had increased land rates from D300 to D2,000 annually. Calling it “the biggest lie of the century,” Darboe clarified that the current tariffs were set in 2020 by former BAC Chairman Sheriffo Sonko and Hon. Minister Musa Drammeh, not under his leadership in 2025. “Let them go back and check their gazetted records for the BAC tariffs – they would bear witness to their fallacies and misrepresentations!” he challenged.
In a scathing critique, Darboe contrasted the government’s silence on its own tax policies with its criticism of BAC tariffs. “These people never complained about the 100% tax increment they introduced under this President Barrow Government, through GRA taxes on everything – even a bottle of water, shipments of goods into this country, airport landing fees – which is causing the cost of living crisis in this country,” he said. “But they want to complain about the BAC tariffs, which are bringing development to our region of WCR!”
Darboe issued a bold challenge to Barrow: “I challenge President Adama Barrow… to declare this nation a tax-free nation, where both central and local governments will not charge a butut for anything. Let him close down the GRA if they are that concerned about the tax burdens on Gambians! I bet he will never do such!”
The chairman concluded with a defiant message, asserting that BAC’s mandate to serve its people would not be derailed. “You are not paying any development subvention to our council, yet you want the council to become redundant! Please note the people of the West Coast Region want to prosper just like URR, where you choose to develop!” he said, accusing the government of neglecting WCR while favoring other regions.
As tensions rise between the Barrow administration and the Brikama Area Council, Darboe’s remarks signal a deepening rift. The BAC vows to resist what it perceives as an abuse of power from the central government.
