Bensouda: Barrow Government Turned Down My Jospong Waste Plan Five Years Ago for Political Reasons

By Seedy Jobe

Coalition 2026 presidential candidate Talib Ahmed Bensouda has accused President Adama Barrow’s administration of rejecting a proposal to address The Gambia’s waste management crisis five years ago for political reasons, claiming that the government has now turned to the same Ghanaian company he initially introduced to the country.

Speaking at a Coalition 2026 rally in Basori, Kombo East, Mr. Bensouda said he first engaged the Jospong Group, a Ghanaian waste management company, in 2020 as part of an initiative to modernize waste disposal in the country. He alleged that the government rejected the proposal because of his affiliation with the opposition.

The Kanifing Municipal Council (KMC) mayor said the government’s recent engagement with the company represented a missed opportunity to address a longstanding environmental and public health challenge.

Mr. Bensouda recalled that when he assumed office as mayor, waste management practices in KMC largely involved burying, burning, or dumping refuse into waterways.

He said his administration subsequently introduced modern waste collection vehicles, making KMC the first local council in the country to acquire such equipment. According to him, other councils, including the Brikama Area Council and Banjul City Council, later adopted similar approaches.

He further claimed that KMC currently operates more waste collection trucks than all other local councils combined.

Mr. Bensouda said he traveled to Ghana in 2020 to engage the Jospong Group on a proposal to close the Bakoteh dumpsite and develop a modern waste management facility at Tambana.

Following those discussions, he said, he invited representatives of the company to The Gambia and submitted the proposal to the Ministry of Local Government.

However, he alleged that the government declined to support the initiative because it originated from an opposition-led municipality.

Mr. Bensouda said he subsequently approached the European Union and secured a proposed €48 million project, equivalent to approximately D3 billion, to close the Bakoteh dumpsite and develop the Tambana facility.

He claimed that the government also rejected that initiative for political reasons.

According to the mayor, the Barrow administration has now traveled to Ghana to engage the same company he introduced five years earlier, presenting the arrangement as a new development.

He argued that the delay had deprived Gambians of a sustainable waste management system and allowed environmental problems to persist across the country.

Mr. Bensouda maintained that had the government accepted his original proposal, communities from Kartong in the west to Koina in the east would not be grappling with the same waste disposal challenges today.

Despite his criticism, he welcomed the government’s eventual decision to engage the company, saying national development should take precedence over political differences.

“Congratulations to President Barrow, because the progress of The Gambia is what I want. Better late than never,” he said.

The Coalition 2026 leader pledged to make waste management a national priority if elected president in the December 5 election.

He said that if he wins the election and assumes office on January 19, his administration will work to end the country’s longstanding waste management problems.

Bensouda Pledges Voting Rights and Parliamentary Seats for Gambians Abroad
Turning to the Gambian diaspora, Mr. Bensouda promised to introduce legislation granting citizens living abroad the right to vote in national elections and elect representatives to the National Assembly.

He argued that Gambians overseas make significant contributions to the national economy but remain excluded from the country’s electoral process.

According to him, diaspora remittances reached D70 billion last year, underscoring the economic importance of Gambians living abroad.

Mr. Bensouda contrasted The Gambia’s electoral arrangements with those of neighboring Senegal and Guinea, where citizens living overseas can participate in national elections.

He said a Coalition 2026 government would amend the country’s electoral laws to allow Gambians to vote from anywhere in the world.

Beyond voting rights, he pledged to establish dedicated parliamentary seats for diaspora representatives, arguing that Gambians abroad deserve a direct voice in national decision-making.

Mr. Bensouda said the proposed reforms would not only strengthen political inclusion but also encourage greater diaspora investment and participation in the country’s development.