Agriculture Minister Says Cost-of-Living Crisis Reflects Global Trends, Not a Uniquely Gambian Problem

By Makutu Manneh

Demba Sabally, the Minister of Agriculture, Livestock and Food Security and deputy national president of the ruling National People’s Party, said in a television interview this week that the high cost of living in the Gambia stems largely from global economic conditions rather than from problems specific to the country.

Speaking to QTV, Mr. Sabally said rising prices were a worldwide phenomenon and that the Gambia was neither immune to the trend nor faring worse than its neighbors.

As an example, he pointed to the price of rice, saying it remained comparable to prices in neighboring countries and across the subregion. He made a similar argument about electricity costs, noting that the Gambia did not rank among the five most expensive countries for power in West Africa. While acknowledging that electricity prices were high, he maintained that they were not higher than those in many other countries in the region.

“The government of President Barrow is aware of these challenges and is taking mitigating action,” Mr. Sabally said. “The most vulnerable members of society are receiving monthly cash allocations to help cushion the effects of the economic hardship.”

The minister said the government was also investing heavily in agriculture to reduce the country’s reliance on imported food and to shield local production from global geopolitical disruptions. He cited energy subsidies, including for fuel, as another major government intervention aimed at easing the burden on households.

Mr. Sabally further argued that health care costs in the Gambia remained lower than in many other countries.

“Yes, there is hardship being felt by the population,” he said, “but it is not unique to the Gambia, nor is it worse here than elsewhere, and the government is taking steps to address it.”

He added that the measures he outlined were only a few among many being implemented by the government.