Halifa Sallah Says Team Gambia Manifesto Will Prioritize Institutional Reform and Equitable Wealth Distribution

By Makutu Manneh

Halifa Sallah, a veteran politician and coordinator of the Team Gambia Grand Coalition, has said the coalition’s forthcoming manifesto will prioritize institutional reform, public accountability, and the equitable distribution of national wealth as part of a broader strategy to combat poverty.

Mr. Sallah said the coalition’s approach to corruption would focus on addressing its underlying causes through stronger institutions rather than relying solely on political rhetoric.

“That is why the coalition is talking about institutional transformation,” he said. “The Office of the Auditor General will be transformed so that whatever public money is put into the Consolidated Fund will be utilized for its intended purpose.”

He argued that effective public oversight requires greater community participation in managing government resources.

Citing the construction of a village hospital as an example, Mr. Sallah said informing residents of a project’s budget and empowering local development committees to monitor spending would make it more difficult to divert public funds.

He maintained that excluding citizens from decisions about public resources creates opportunities for mismanagement and corruption.

On poverty reduction, Mr. Sallah said the coalition intends to redirect public resources toward productive sectors, particularly agriculture, by providing farmers with fertilizer, seeds and equipment.

He contrasted that approach with government assistance during the COVID-19 pandemic, when public resources were used to purchase essential commodities and provide financial support.

Mr. Sallah argued that investing those resources in domestic production would generate more sustainable income and reduce dependence on grants and charitable assistance.

“Investors currently take land, employ women to produce and sell, earning billions while the same land could be given seeds and fertilizer from the Consolidated Fund to allow Gambian women to produce and keep the earnings,” he said.

He said the coalition’s proposed economic model would empower ordinary Gambians to participate directly in wealth creation rather than remain dependent on government assistance.

Mr. Sallah added that the coalition would outline specific policies and implementation strategies when its manifesto is formally launched, emphasizing that its ultimate objective is to ensure national wealth benefits citizens and creates sustainable opportunities for income generation.