In her statement, Mrs Jallow-Tambajang claimed: “We have a national development plan which has some provision for women in economic empowerment. The provision for economic empowerment was given through the European Union. The EU’s objective while I was in office was to ensure every Gambian woman benefitted from those funds. But today, I see that the funds are only for the National People’s Party (NPP) women. That is not right.”
She further argued that the funds should be accessible to all Gambian women, from Banjul to Koina, as part of broader reforms initiated by the 2016 coalition, including constitutional review, gender equality, land reforms, truth and reconciliation, and security reforms.
In response, the NPP described her assertions as “disingenuous, factually incorrect, and calculated to spread misinformation” about the party’s Women Interest-Free Fund. The party clarified that the initiative is financed entirely by contributions from NPP members and supporters, with Salam Financial Services providing the matching balance.
The NPP stressed that the EU does not fund political party loan schemes. The launch of the NPP Women Enterprise Fund was conducted transparently at a mass rally, where it was clearly stated that the party provided 50% of the capital, while Salam Financial Services contributed the remaining 50%.
The press release highlighted several key points:
- No EU funds have been made available to the Government of The Gambia for such a loan scheme.
- As a former Vice President, Mrs Jallow-Tambajang could have verified her claims by consulting the Ministry of Finance, the EU Country Office, or Salam Financial Services.
- International partners do not fund specific political party enterprises.
The NPP reaffirmed that the government of President Adama Barrow operates on principles of transparency and accountability, values that have earned the trust of international partners. The party emphasised that the Women Enterprise Fund does not utilise public money, but is fully financed by party members under President Barrow’s leadership.
The initiative, according to the NPP, is designed to uplift the economic status of women within the party and its affiliates, forming a central pillar of its manifesto. The party expressed gratitude to President Barrow for his “visionary leadership in women’s empowerment” and reiterated its commitment to advancing the welfare of Gambian women through sound economic policies and legal frameworks.
