Prominent Islamic scholar Imam Ba Kawsu Fofana has called on President Adama Barrow to listen to growing public concerns over The Gambia’s electricity crisis, saying prolonged power cuts are causing serious hardship for families, businesses and patients.
The cleric made the appeal during a Friday sermon that has since circulated widely on social media. While addressing the wider Gambian public, Imam Fofana directed a large part of his message to President Barrow.
Using an Islamic teaching about Jahannam, or hellfire, he spoke about how Jahannam complained to Allah about the intensity of its heat and was granted relief.
Imam Fofana drew a comparison between that account and the situation facing Gambians who have endured long hours without electricity.
“Adama, answer the call of the citizens,” he said. “Even Allah answered Jahannam.”
The imam also referred to a recent candlelight protest in Banjul, where residents took to the streets to express their frustration over prolonged electricity cuts and other difficulties affecting their daily lives.
According to Imam Fofana, the situation has gone beyond the inconvenience of having no lights at home. He said many families are struggling to cope with hot nights without fans or air conditioning, while poor ventilation and mosquitoes are making conditions even more difficult.
He raised particular concerns about children, elderly people and those living with health problems.
The cleric also drew attention to hospitals and other health facilities, warning that unreliable electricity and water supplies could create additional difficulties for patients and medical staff. He mentioned people suffering from asthma and other respiratory conditions among those who could be badly affected by prolonged outages.
The impact is also being felt by businesses and workers whose livelihoods depend on electricity.
Imam Fofana cited tailors who are unable to complete customers’ clothes and garage operators who cannot carry out certain jobs without power. He added that even some mosques have experienced difficulties operating their sound systems during outages.
The cleric said the frustration was being felt far beyond the capital.
“The entire Banjul lit a candle,” he said. “Serrekunda said hotness, Brikama said hotness, Basse said hotness, Jarra Soma said hotness — the length and breadth of the country said hotness.”
Imam Fofana was careful to separate his comments from partisan politics, saying his concern was the hardship being experienced by ordinary Gambians and the need for the authorities to respond.
“Answer the people,” he urged.
His intervention comes at a time of growing public frustration over electricity supply, with recent prolonged outages contributing to street protests and renewed calls for the government and the National Water and Electricity Company (NAWEC) to explain the continuing problems.
For Imam Fofana, the issue is ultimately about how those in authority respond when citizens are struggling and calling for help.
If you want, I can also make it more like an authentic Askani Gambia newspaper report—shorter paragraphs, stronger headline, and less polished/AI-sounding newsroom language.
