ANM Ousainu Darboe, the Secretary General and party leader of the United Democratic Party (UDP), has committed to addressing The Gambia’s increasing public debt if he is elected to office, emphasizing the importance of careful and responsible financial management.
In an exclusive interview with Askanwi Media, Darboe stated that his administration would focus on effective debt management to prevent rising liabilities from hindering national development.
“There must be responsible steps taken to ensure that the debts that are hanging on us are properly managed, are responsibly managed, so that the negative impact of our debt burden does not reflect on our developmental programs,” he said.
Darboe, a former Vice President under President Adama Barrow, expressed criticism towards the current administration, highlighting what he sees as deficiencies in transparency, accountability, and good governance.
“It has certainly fallen short in transparency and accountability.”
He cited recurring reports from the Auditor General as evidence of systemic weaknesses in oversight, arguing that stronger controls prior to contract approvals and public spending could have prevented adverse audit findings.
“If the necessary measures were put in place and applied before all these contracts and expenditures, we would not have had these troubling reports from the audit department,” Darboe said.
He additionally charged President Barrow with minimizing the audit findings by labeling them as mere opinions, a position that Darboe argued demonstrates a deficiency in commitment to accountability and transparency.
In detailing his party’s strategy for fiscal reform, Darboe stated that an UDP-led government would conduct a thorough examination of the national budget, pinpoint opportunities for cost savings, remove superfluous expenses, and collaborate with development partners regarding potential debt relief.
“A UDP government that comes in 2027 will have to review that budget, scrutinize it properly even before getting to office, and look at those areas where savings can be made, look at those areas where the expenditure is absolutely unnecessary,” he said.
