Kanifing Municipal Council (KMC) Mayor Talib Ahmed Bensouda has publicly urged President Adama Barrow to resign after ten years in office, pointing to the country’s faltering economy and the dangers of politicians being disconnected from reality if they hold office for an extended period of time.
These comments were made by Bensouda, who is also the United Democratic Party’s (UDP) organizing secretary, when he appeared on Kerr Fatou on Thursday.
“I think ten years is enough because they are experiencing out-of-touch syndrome.” I’ll stress it because the State House is a bubble once you start working there for more than ten years. Everything is provided for you in this gated compound. The people who are around you most of the time are sycophants who want to safeguard their own personal interests; anyone who wants to visit you is doing so because you want to see them. Generally speaking, however, when you visit the State House, people will tell you that everything is wonderful, including how wonderful, attractive, and divine you are. When they know the truth hurts you and you don’t want to hear it, especially when it’s a bad truth, they paint rosy visions. The more you remain there, the more you start to live in a bubble, said Bensouda.
He emphasized the value of maintaining ties with the public and cited his own experience as mayor as a crucial teaching moment. “I have no control over who enters my office, and if you do, I have no method of getting away from you. I can’t walk past you, which is the only way I can get away from you. Therefore, communication between our head of state and others is crucial.
Regardless of appearances, Bensouda went on to say that 90% of Gambians are struggling.”I can tell you that with certainty.” Not everyone is doing well, even those who appear to be doing well.
Speaking about the country’s economy, the mayor of KMC expressed grave concerns about the Gambia’s 30% GDP dependency on remittances. He cautioned about the risks associated with this dependence, particularly in view of international wars that could interrupt food supplies, such as those in Israel, Gaza, and Ukraine.
You now examine the Gambia as a nation and discuss its economic situation. Let’s start by discussing our GDP, or gross domestic product, of which remittances—basically, diasporas providing for their relatives overseas—account for 30%. The populace cannot be fed since there is no productive base. Considering that over 90% of our food is imported, picture our population expanding only on imported food. Israel and Gaza are at war. In Ukraine, we are at war. What happens if a regional conflict starts? What happens if a global conflict starts? And since the Cold conflict in the 1970s, we have never been closer to a third world conflict. We don’t have food security since we are relying on imported food to feed our expanding population. Therefore, we will perish from malnutrition if there is a global crisis. COVID taught us that people will not export because they will be concerned about their populations,” he said.
According to Bensouda, the Gambia’s national budget shows that taxes bring in D19 billion while spending amounts to D38 billion. Grants and borrowing are used to close the deficit, but they are temporary, particularly during periods of global upheaval. Our debt has increased from D48 billion during the Yahya Jammeh regime to D111 billion in just seven years, and we are currently paying D3 billion in loan interest alone.
Citing inflation rates that significantly outpace growth, he questioned the government’s assertions of strong economic growth. “They talk about 6% or 7% growth, but are we actually growing when food inflation is 20% and goods inflation is 16%? These straightforward numbers demonstrate the serious problem facing the Gambia. We might be destroyed by even a small worldwide problem,” Bensouda said.
