By Fatou Sillah
The Executive Director of the Edward Francis Small Centre for Rights and Justice, Madi Jobarteh, has accused the Minister of Information, Media, and Broadcasting Services, Dr. Ismaila Ceesay, of misleading the public by claiming that civil society organizations in The Gambia have become political.
Responding to the minister’s remarks, Jobarteh rejected the assertion that rights organizations had crossed into partisan politics. He argued that advocacy, activism, and public engagement are inherently political because they address issues affecting citizens and seek to hold public officials accountable, but said this should not be confused with partisan political activity.
According to Jobarteh, Gambians have a constitutional right to express concerns about matters of public interest, including electricity and water supply, road infrastructure, education, healthcare, and the management of national resources. He maintained that criticizing government performance or demanding accountability does not amount to political partisanship.
Citing the recent comments by Gambian international footballer Yankuba Minteh on the state of the country’s national stadium, Jobarteh said every citizen has a legitimate interest in issues of national development and public service delivery, particularly where they directly affect people’s lives.
“It is not a question of ignorance; it’s a question of dishonesty and trying to mislead the public, which I think is pathetic,” Jobarteh said.
He further noted that international organizations such as Amnesty International, Transparency International, Human Rights Watch, and the Mo Ibrahim Foundation focus extensively on governance because governments bear the primary responsibility for protecting citizens’ rights, delivering public services, and managing public resources.
He said holding governments accountable is central to the work of such organizations, as their mandate is to promote transparency, good governance, and respect for human rights.
Addressing the minister’s allegation that he criticizes organizations whenever they publish favorable reports about The Gambia, Jobarteh dismissed the claim as baseless, saying no evidence had been presented to substantiate it.
He also argued that international governance reports should be assessed in their entirety rather than judged solely by headline rankings. Even reports that acknowledge improvements, he said, often identify governance shortcomings and recommend additional reforms. He added that findings by local civil society organizations deserve equal consideration because they are informed by a deeper understanding of the country’s realities.
“Every citizen, whether you are in civil society, in the media, whether you are a soldier or a farmer or a doctor or a teacher, the first thing you should think about in the morning is about the government. What are they doing in your name? What are they doing on your behalf or not doing? How much have you paid them? What are they using your money for?” he said.
Comments are closed.