By Fatou Sillah
Omar Saibo Camara, human rights activist and the spokesperson of Gambians Against Looted Assets, has criticized the Gambia Government for what he describes as a long-standing failure to deliver meaningful development and basic public infrastructure more than sixty years after independence.
Camara said it was unacceptable that Gambians continue to face severe shortages in essential services such as healthcare, education, employment, and infrastructure, despite the country’s decades of self-rule.
“There is no excuse for the basic necessities of life in this country. We have been saying since 1965 that this country could provide the basic services to the people. We want to change the lives of the people. Sixty years of independence are enough for this country to change and develop,” he said.
The activist expressed frustration over the state of public institutions and the daily hardships faced by ordinary citizens—particularly young people—who continue to struggle with unemployment and poor living conditions.
“We cannot still have a better healthcare system, we cannot still have a better education system, we cannot still have better roads, we cannot still have 75% youth employment, we cannot even have infrastructure to accommodate us. We don’t even have a factory in this country that can employ 2,000 people,” he said.
He noted that the ongoing protests and growing frustration among young people stem from years of unfulfilled promises, arguing that the government’s continued failure to tackle socioeconomic challenges has driven citizens to take their grievances to the streets.
Camara emphasized that civil disobedience and public demonstrations are legitimate forms of democratic expression and should be understood as calls for accountability, justice, and progress.
He urged the government to prioritize national development by investing in infrastructure, education, healthcare, and employment opportunities to build a stronger and more equitable Gambia.