By Seedy Jobe
The spokesperson for the Unite Movement for Change (UMC), Kemo Bojang, has criticized The Gambia’s reported economic growth, arguing that increases in Gross Domestic Product (GDP) hold little value if they do not translate into real improvements in people’s lives.
“A growth in GDP when it doesn’t have a direct impact on the lives of the people is colonial mercantilist,” Bojang said, adding that the country’s economic system remains largely outside the control of ordinary Gambians.
He stressed that genuine development must be comprehensive, extending beyond economic indicators to include progress in health, education, and social equity. Citing economist Amartya Sen, Bojang noted that development should expand citizens’ capabilities and freedoms, not just measure material wealth.
Bojang urged the World Bank to adopt a more balanced approach to assessing development, warning against what he described as an overemphasis on GDP figures. “The World Bank must do the same so the masses do not fall for the over-sophistication of development,” he said.
According to Bojang, a people-centered understanding of development is essential. “Development should be assessed less by material wealth, and more by the well-being and substantive freedoms and capabilities people have to lead the lives they value,” he said.
In light of the current economic realities, Bojang described the country’s GDP growth as “meaningless,” pointing to the persistent hardships faced by ordinary citizens. “The increase in GDP, while Gambians continue to suffer, the Dalasi continues to depreciate, and living conditions are becoming tougher, is meaningless to you and me,” he concluded.