Bala Jahumpa, Former Minister of Finance
By Buba Gagigo
Bala Garba Jahumpa, also known as Action Man, a supporter of Ebou Faye, the National People’s Party’s (NPP) candidate in Banjul, said that the recent Mayoral and Chairmen election was a referendum on President Adama Barrow.
” In the 2022 parliamentary election, your party failed to win a single seat in the capital city of Banjul. Now, in this mayoral and chairmanship elections, you have lost again. What is the cause of all these losses? It is as if Gambians are conducting a referendum on your presidency.” He said.
Mr. Jahumpha said that the hardship people are facing in the country is one of the reasons why they did not vote for the president’s National People’s Party (NPP).
“The people are facing hardship in the country. They are not happy with the current situation. The electricity is not steady, NAWEC has increased their tariff, and there is a lack of water. This makes it difficult for everyone, especially women.
We will not praise you. We will only tell you the truth. What angers people the most is the high cost of living. Rice, cooking oil, onions, and fish are all expensive. People are doing whatever they want in the name of democracy,” he said.
Action Man also says the people surrounding the president are not telling him the truth. People are saying that the people around you are not being truthful to you. They are also talking about the high level of corruption in the country. It has been alleged that people were printing fake tickets that were different from the ones issued by the GPA. The police were asked to investigate, but nothing came of it. I believe that the same problem exists at GRA as well.
“The Central Bank scandal and the Fisheries’ scandal were both major controversies in the Gambia, but no one was ever held accountable for their actions. The Gambia National Petroleum Corporation scandal was a different case. In that case, the manager of the corporation was accused of selling trucks full of fuel on the black market. He was suspended from his job, charged with a crime, and taken to court. He went to court two or three times, and he was found not guilty. Some people believe that he was released because he had powerful friends in the government.” he said.
Bala Garba Jahumpa served as Minister of Finance of the Gambia from 1994 to 1995. He was then appointed Minister of Trade, Industry and Employment on 20 March 1995, but returned to the Ministry of Finance and Economic Affairs on 5 July 1995. He served in this position until 1997. He supported the president’s candidate, Ebou Faye, who lost in Banjul.