Information Minister Ceesay Accuses Some CSOs of Fabricating Dictatorship Narratives for Donor Funding

By Makutu Manneh

Dr. Ismaila Ceesay, the Minister of Information, Media, and Broadcasting Services, has accused some civil society organizations in Africa, including in The Gambia, of exaggerating political and governance concerns to attract donor funding.

Speaking during an interview on West Coast Radio, Dr. Ceesay argued that some organizations benefit financially from portraying countries as unstable or undemocratic, saying their ability to secure funding diminishes when democratic institutions are functioning effectively.

“You cannot have briefcase civil societies, whose only motivation, whose only agenda, is to make money. So that’s why they talk about each and every issue,” he said.

Dr. Ceesay said international donors have access to information about developments in The Gambia and are capable of independently assessing conditions in the country. He argued that efforts to portray the country as a dictatorship would therefore be unlikely to succeed.

The minister said public debate should instead focus on President Adama Barrow’s record in office and his administration’s development agenda.

He said the Barrow administration had made significant progress despite what he described as a difficult political transition, challenges associated with the coalition government that brought Barrow to power, the economic effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, and disruptions caused by two international wars.

Dr. Ceesay also pointed to the president’s development agenda, saying Barrow has articulated a vision of transforming The Gambia into a middle-income, industrialized country.

He contrasted that agenda with the opposition, arguing that some of Barrow’s political rivals are focused on winning power without demonstrating how they would govern if elected.

The remarks come amid continuing public debate over governance, democratic institutions, and the role of civil society organizations in holding the government accountable.