By Makutu Manneh
Yankuba Darboe, chairman of the Brikama Area Council, told supporters at a political gathering in Jambanjelly that each ward in the West Coast Region would receive D5 million if the United Democratic Party secures victory in the 2026 presidential election.
“If you take our father to the statehouse on December 5th, in February 2027, I will give out D5 million to each ward. This is my promise to you,” Mr. Darboe said, drawing applause from the crowd.
Mr. Darboe said that since assuming office, his administration has distributed funds annually to wards across the region—D500,000 initially, followed by D1 million per ward in 2025. He added that the council intends to disburse another D1 million next year.
Addressing supporters, he argued that the West Coast Region alone could deliver a national victory for the UDP. “Half of the country’s population lives in West Coast. Even if NBR, URR, CRR, and LRR did not vote for UDP, if we do, we will go to State House,” he said.
He warned, however, that the promised D5 million allocation would not materialize if the party failed to win the presidency. Mr. Darboe also pledged that a UDP victory would bring further development to the region, including a new stadium in Jambanjelly, and suggested that such investments would discourage young people from risking irregular migration.