Dr. Ismaila Ceesay Predicts Barrow Victory in 2026 Despite Electricity, Jobs and Security Challenges

By Fatou Sillah

Dr. Ismaila Ceesay, the Minister of Information, Media, and Broadcasting Services, has expressed confidence that President Adama Barrow will win The Gambia’s presidential election in December, even as he acknowledged persistent challenges over electricity, youth unemployment, and security.

Speaking in an interview with West Coast Radio, Dr. Ceesay said the government was approaching the election with urgency and would mount an aggressive campaign to persuade voters to give Mr. Barrow another term.

“We are taking these elections very seriously,” he said. “We are going to do everything possible to campaign hard.”

His remarks come as the Barrow administration seeks to make the case for another mandate by pointing to its record on infrastructure and public services while confronting concerns over the reliability of electricity, employment opportunities for young Gambians, and security.

Dr. Ceesay acknowledged those difficulties, particularly in the energy sector. He said the government had made significant progress in expanding access to electricity, with about 90 percent of Gambians now connected to the grid. But extending access, he said, had created another challenge: ensuring that electricity is stable, reliable, and affordable.

“Stable electricity is a challenge; that is a fact,” he said.

The government, he added, views dependable and affordable electricity as critical to industrialization, business growth, and job creation.

Youth employment remains another challenge, Dr. Ceesay said. He pointed to investments in education, technical and vocational training, and entrepreneurship programs as part of the administration’s efforts to equip young Gambians with skills and expand their economic opportunities.

He cited technical and vocational institutions and initiatives supported by development partners as examples of programs intended to improve employability and encourage entrepreneurship.

Dr. Ceesay said those efforts formed part of the government’s broader development agenda, which he described as focused on strengthening human capital while expanding infrastructure and investment in energy, education, health, sports, and agriculture.

Despite the challenges, the minister showed little hesitation when asked about the president’s electoral prospects.

Dr. Ceesay had previously suggested that Mr. Barrow could receive as much as 75 percent of the vote if Gambians judged the government solely on its record of delivering development. Asked whether he still stood by his broader assessment of the president’s prospects, he maintained that the governing alliance would prevail, regardless of the eventual margin.

“There is no impediment to my confidence that His Excellency President Barrow and the Alliance will win the next elections come 5th December,” he said. “There is no doubt about that.”

Dr. Ceesay stopped short of insisting on a particular percentage of the vote, but said his central prediction remained unchanged: President Barrow would win the Dec. 5 election.

The confidence of government officials will ultimately be tested against voters’ assessments of both the administration’s accomplishments and the unresolved problems Dr. Ceesay acknowledged — particularly whether improvements in access to essential services have translated into reliable services, jobs and economic opportunities.