President Barrow's leadership continues to close the inequality gap, sustain salary restructuring, boost farmers' productivity and witness progression institutional reforms. This piece is to set out to fact-check a recent publication in 'The Voice' Newspaper' on 7th April 2026.
Wild statements for political attention need to be fact-checked, no matter where they come from. We have seen journalists bring attention to statements or remarks from the executive to hold them accountable. The same principle should apply to those aspiring to hold executive offices in the country. If we set standards, they should apply to everyone.
It was reported that the former Vice President, aspiring presidential candidate and leader of the opposition United Democratic Party, H.E. Ousainou Darboe, while calling for “one term to deliver real change” for Gambians, the reporter wrote, “Darboe identified national challenges including widening inequality, stagnating wages for public servants, neglected farmers, and government spending heavily on officials while ordinary citizens struggle.”
Let us break this statement down: “widening inequality”, having witnessed life-changing and impactful projects to bring health infrastructure, such as health centres with modern facilities in rural Gambia and advanced facilities in urban Gambia, means that not only the privileged few but also the less privileged people can access such facilities. Thus, closing the inequality gap in accessing health care services rather than widening it. In addition, homegrown specialists and health care providers from less privileged backgrounds are excelling in service delivery, closing the inequality gap, rather than widening it in accessing services in poor rural areas.
Another example of closing the inequality gap is the excellent decision of the Barrow Government partnership with development partners and donors to construct modern school structures in remote and excluded communities.
This brings access closer to the people, enabling children to enjoy their right to basic education. The massive developments in tertiary education are widening the opportunities for ordinary citizens.
Often, people equate infrastructure with just roads. Even if that was the case, having access to proper motorable roads in Hakalang, in the North Bank Region of The Gambia or the Kiang Roads leading to Kiang Kuringhoto, the Kabada stretch of the Lower River Region, or the urban roads network within the Kanifing Municipality indeed are closing the unequal access to motorable roads, providing easier access to transportation for ordinary citizens, are certainly not widening the inequality. At least we should not forget the Senegambia, Basse Samba Juma and Fatoto bridges and how they are enhancing rural transportation, trade, livelihoods, rural income, lifestyles, social cohesion, along with easier access to social services. These are key parts of the Government’s national development programme to close the inequality gap and not widen it.
The government, conscious of how staff motivation impacts their outputs, has restructured salaries three times in the public service under the leadership of President Adama Barrow. The first salary restructuring of 50% occurred in 2018, coincidentally, former VP Ousainou Darboe was part of the Executive before that. Another increment of 30% for Civil servants, including subvented schools and hospital staff, was effected in 2022, and the most recent salary restructuring of 30%, along with increased transportation and other benefits, occurred last year, 2025. Cumulatively making a 110% increment under the leadership of President Barrow. These are facts and have been approved by the legislature. Therefore, remarks like “stagnating wages for public servants” cannot be substantiated and are misleading. Misinformation for political gains is not acceptable from public figures, whether in government or those aspiring for public office.
Regarding the claim that the Government “neglected farmers”, it is difficult to comprehend how farmers have been neglected. Under the leadership of President Barrow, farmers have received massive support to increase their yield and, by default, their annual income from seasonal farming, especially in cash crops like groundnut.
The Government continues to take strategic steps to empower farmers, as the President repeatedly argued, “farmers have income once a year”; therefore, his government is determined to support them to maximise their production. The Government reduced the price of fertiliser from D2,000 in 2022 to D1,150 in 2023 and maintained the same price in 2024, despite the rise in the world market price. In 2025, the price of fertiliser was further reduced to D1,100 to make fertiliser more accessible to farmers. These are not acts of neglecting farmers, rather a show of political will, commitment and determination to uplift farmers.
In addition to subsidising the price of fertiliser, over the years, the Government provided free rice and other seeds to farmers, bringing in farm equipment to improve farming technology with machinery. A few weeks ago, at the ceremony held at Brikamabaa, about 400 pieces of machinery were handed over to farmers, individuals and groups in a view to empowering them for sustainable food security.
Furthermore, supporting and transforming agriculture from subsistence to a commercial venture, including the modernised marketing of groundnut, using modern digital systems that beat down corruption, increase transparency, and improve systems, shows that the Government has not neglected farmers. These endeavours are a measure of support and recognition of farmers in The Gambia, and not neglecting them. So, where is the neglect of farmers?
Politics aside, all public figures and citizens following world news would acknowledge that world affairs impact local conditions, especially in countries with small economies, like The Gambia, that rely heavily on imports. Notwithstanding, the Government is strategically developing its human resources and building its infrastructure in digital communication, energy, transportation and agriculture, among others. There is no country or society where every citizen has equal pay or privilege. Even in law firms, the cleaners, drivers and support staff earn less than the CEO, so Gambians understand these realities and are smart enough to know that the income of the President of a country can never be equal to that of a teacher, nurse or security officer.
Gambians are smart enough to know that coercion and propaganda are different from the reality of governance. Gambians know that political governance is about providing services, creating the environment for equal opportunities for its citizens to realise their potential and use their creativity. In essence, under the leadership of President Adama Barrow, the Government maintained sustained support to public servants, unprecedently increasing salaries three times in less than ten years, including public servants in schools, the health and security sectors. So, where is the stagnation of wages of public servants?
The above are not speculations or mere opinions but facts that prove that the Barrow government is determined and consciously tasking itself to build on a stronger foundation for uplifting its citizens in a peaceful and stable environment of good governance, while democracy continues to thrive and citizens realise their potential.
10th April 2026
