National Democratic Party (NDP) leader Kebba Madi Bojang has accused the government of political intimidation after being questioned by the police and the Ministry of Agriculture over his distribution of fertilizer to farmers.
Bojang says the controversy has been unnecessarily politicised, insisting that he did not import the fertilizer, as he said was alleged by the Agriculture Ministry, but purchased it from a company operating within The Gambia.
Speaking on The Brunch programme on Kerr Fatou, Bojang questioned why the authorities were directing their attention at him instead of investigating the company that supplied the agricultural product.
He said the supplier imports chemical components used in the production of fertilizer locally and argued that companies involved in such activities are expected to be registered and approved by the Ministry of Agriculture.
“If the ministry has questions about the authenticity or quality of the fertilizer, they should go to the company that supplied it,” Bojang argued.
The NDP leader described his questioning by the police and Agriculture Ministry as politically motivated, expressing disappointment that an initiative intended to assist farmers had instead attracted official scrutiny.
“This is all politics, and I am disappointed when the police and the ministry questioned me on this,” Bojang said. “Because as a citizen trying to help our farmers, they should be empowering me instead of fighting me on this.”
Bojang also rejected the alleged assertion by the Agriculture Ministry that he had imported the fertilizer. He maintained that the product was purchased locally and said government institutions should serve Gambians regardless of their political affiliations.
He further argued that he would have no reason to knowingly distribute defective fertilizer because he, too, would be affected if the product were found to be substandard. According to him, he purchased the fertilizer in good faith from what he described as a registered company.
The dispute consequently raises questions about where responsibility should lie when concerns emerge over agricultural inputs: with the individual who purchased and distributed the product, or with the company responsible for producing and supplying it?
Bojang maintains that the authorities should concentrate their investigation on the supplier, the production process and the quality of the fertilizer rather than targeting his decision to support farmers.
The controversy comes as Bojang’s NDP continues its efforts to secure recognition as a political party. The movement has not yet been registered by the Independent Electoral Commission (IEC).
