By Fatou Sillah
Government spokesperson and Presidential Adviser on Diaspora Affairs, Ebrima G. Sankareh, has defended President Adama Barrow’s ongoing road inauguration ceremonies, pushing back against opposition claims that the events are politically motivated ahead of the 2026 presidential election.
Speaking in an interview with West Coast Radio, Sankareh dismissed suggestions that the president is leveraging infrastructure projects to solicit support for a potential third-term bid, arguing that delivering development is precisely what President Barrow was elected to do.
“Let’s say, for purposes of argument, we agree that they are entirely true; however, what is President Barrow’s work for the Gambian people? Why was he elected? He was elected to deliver to the Gambian people, and deliver he has done,” Sankareh said.
Mr. Sankareh also argued that the timing of the inaugurations is entirely appropriate, framing the current period as the conclusion of the president’s term—a natural moment to present completed projects to citizens.
“He is delivering his goodies to the Gambian people, so what better time to deliver than the end of the semester? This is the end of the semester, December 5th, 2026. We are going into another semester, a political semester if you want to call it that way,” he said.
Drawing on an academic analogy, Sankareh compared governance to academic performance, insisting that leaders should be judged on the results they deliver within their tenure.
“If you sent me to school to study and pass exams at the end of the year, I’m supposed to give you my report card. If I fail, it means I have wasted my school fees, so President Barrow has not wasted his school fees,” he said.
Sankareh further argued that presenting development achievements to the public is a universal feature of democratic governance, and that President Barrow is simply providing Gambians with a record of his administration’s performance.
“I have never seen in any country where politicians will not showcase their work as evidence or evidence of their work. This is their testimonial to the people that I have been elected to do this; I have done it,” he said.
The government spokesperson also signaled that additional infrastructure projects—including clinics, schools, boreholes, and water systems—are expected to be completed and commissioned in the coming months as the government continues implementing its broader development agenda.
“These have been the hallmarks of President Barrow’s government from 2016 to today. I see nothing wrong with delivering what you are asked to do at the right time and place,” he said.
The comments come amid heightened political debate in The Gambia as the country edges closer to the December 2026 presidential election, with opposition figures increasingly scrutinizing the government’s activities for electoral undertones.
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