By Fatou Sillah
Saikou Sawo, leader of the Golden Era Party, has called for urgent reforms in The Gambia, warning that corruption, mismanagement, and neglect of the country’s youth are undermining national progress.
Speaking in an interview with Kerr Fatou, Sawo criticized the proliferation of political parties without clear agendas or values, arguing that they fail to meaningfully engage with the people they seek to represent.
“Notice the key issue for me with most of these parties that have been formed, and why Gambians are frustrated, right? They form a party without an agenda. People don’t even know what they stand for. We don’t know what their core values are; that is why the youth are frustrated,” he said.
Sawo highlighted key findings from the recent Audit Report on the Covid-19 rice procurement, revealing serious discrepancies. According to the report, although more than 60,000 bags of rice were reportedly purchased, only about 17,000 bags were delivered to the intended beneficiaries.
“That means only one quarter got to the people that it’s supposed to serve. The other 40-something thousand never got to the people who needed it,” he stated.
He described the matter as both a national embarrassment and an economic crime, stressing that it underscores how broken the system has become.
Sawo further raised alarm over The Gambia’s rising debt levels, noting that the country’s debt-to-revenue ratio has surged by nearly 500 percent.
“For every one Dalasi we generate, we have already borrowed five Dalasi. This is not sustainable. And our children and grandchildren will be indebted,” he warned.
He also highlighted the country’s pressing challenges, citing high unemployment, inadequate healthcare, and a lack of transparency in government systems.
“We have the worst healthcare system. Patients are sharing beds, lying on the floor. Gambians are losing hope in the system, and investors are discouraged,” he said.
The leader of the Golden Era Party explained that his frustration with these systemic failures inspired his decision to enter politics. “I’m not a politician, but if I have to get into politics to be able to fix the system, I will,” he added.