By Fatou Sillah
The Minister of Information, Media and Broadcasting Services, Dr. Ismaila Ceesay, has defended President Adama Barrow’s record in office, arguing that The Gambia has made measurable progress across virtually every sector over the past decade and urging voters to judge the government on its performance rather than political rhetoric.
Speaking on the government’s record ahead of the December presidential election, Dr. Ceesay said the Barrow administration’s recent public engagements, including the launch of the National People’s Party (NPP) manifesto, were intended to highlight both its achievements and its plans for a second term.
He argued that incumbent governments have a distinct advantage during election campaigns because they can point to completed projects and implemented policies, while opposition parties can only present campaign promises.
“Everybody can agree with me—even the rats in the hole can agree with me—that The Gambia is better off today than it was 10 years ago in every sector, and that is a fact,” Dr. Ceesay said.
The minister cited improvements in road infrastructure, healthcare, education, electricity, security, press freedom, and democratic governance as evidence of what he described as the government’s development record. While acknowledging that significant challenges remain, he maintained that the country has made steady progress under President Barrow.
“There are still challenges, yes, but no country moves very fast,” he said.
Dr. Ceesay also pointed to salary increases for public servants as one of the administration’s accomplishments, saying government employees have benefited from successive pay rises during President Barrow’s tenure.
He argued that governing requires experience, patience, and careful decision-making, stressing that many national challenges cannot be resolved within a short period.
“Government is a serious business. It’s about people’s lives, and when you deal with people’s lives, you don’t joke with people; you don’t play politics with people’s lives,” he said.
Dr. Ceesay said the government’s development record should be the primary measure by which voters assess President Barrow’s leadership.
He also argued that political change alone does not necessarily guarantee better governance, citing the United Kingdom as an example.
“The UK has changed prime ministers several times, but many of its problems persist,” he said, adding that what countries ultimately require is stability to sustain development.
His remarks come as political parties intensify campaigning ahead of the December presidential election, with both the ruling NPP and opposition parties seeking to persuade voters by contrasting their records and policy proposals.
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