Residents of Chamen and Nianija in The Gambia are still waiting for improved maternal healthcare nearly two years after a promising project to build a new maternity ward was reportedly derailed by political rivalries, according to a strongly worded statement from the opposition United Democratic Party (UDP).
The initiative, spearheaded by a Gambian diaspora association eager to support maternal health in their homeland, received official approval from the Ministry of Health on July 22, 2024. Local leaders, including community figure Modou Cham of Nianija, were engaged to facilitate the project. However, the effort collapsed amid claims of interference by senior government figures.
The UDP statement accuses Deputy Speaker of the National Assembly, Seedy Njie, of the National People’s Party (NPP), and NRP National Assembly Member for Nianija, Amadou Camara, of using their influence to block the project. Their alleged motive was not technical or developmental concerns, but political: preventing the project from reflecting positively on Modou Cham, whom they reportedly associate with the UDP.
Following the intervention, the Ministry of Health withdrew its clearance, describing the decision as a “strategic move” linked to a future African Development Bank (AfDB) grant for broader healthcare improvements in the area. Seedy Njie and Amadou Camara publicly assured citizens via media outlets, including West Coast Radio and Kerr Fatou, that construction under the AfDB initiative would commence within three to six months.
Yet, as of today, no construction has begun. “Not a single brick has been laid,” the statement notes, leaving mothers in Chamen without the dedicated facility that could have been operational by now.
Saikou Camara of the UDP Administrative Secretariat Media & Communications described the episode as part of a wider pattern of politicized development. “Development should never be held hostage to political rivalry,” he said. “Healthcare, especially maternal care, is not a privilege to be granted based on party affiliation—it is a fundamental right.”
The statement calls on Gambians to reject divisive politics that prioritize partisan interests over community needs. It warns that while politicians make promises, mothers and newborns bear the human cost of delays.
Critics see the case as emblematic of concerns over centralized power and alleged influence by figures like Seedy Njie in appointments, dismissals, and project priorities.
The people of Chamen and Nianija continue to await tangible progress on maternal healthcare as political wrangling overshadows urgent community needs.
