Dear Editor,
Bakary Badjie, The Gambia’s Minister of Youth and Sports, recently launched an attack on opposition-led local councils, accusing them of failing to invest in youth and sports infrastructure. His remarks, made during an interview on West Coast Radio, suggested that UDP-led councils in Kanifing Municipality, Banjul, the West Coast Region, and the Lower River Region have not developed any meaningful youth or sports projects. However, beneath this political rhetoric lies a deeper reality: Bakary Badjie’s own dismal record as Minister of Youth and Sports and his failed attempt to become the Mayor of Kanifing.
It is ironic that a sitting minister who failed to ensure that The Gambia’s national stadium meets international standards would now try to lecture others on sports development. Under Badjie’s watch, the Independence Stadium in Bakau was declared unfit to host international matches, forcing The Gambia’s national football team to play their home games in foreign countries. Despite spending over D400 million on supposed renovations, the stadium remains in a deplorable state, further highlighting the incompetence of the ministry he leads. Rather than taking responsibility for this embarrassment, Badjie has chosen to shift blame to opposition-led local councils, conveniently ignoring his own failures.
Another scandal under Bakary Badjie’s tenure is the privatisation of Friendship Hotel, which was originally meant to serve as a facility for youth and sports development. Instead of preserving it for public benefit, Badjie’s ministry facilitated its privatisation, effectively taking it away from Gambian youth. This move raises serious questions about his commitment to youth empowerment. If his ministry truly prioritised youth development, why was Friendship Hotel privatised without a clear plan for reinvestment into youth programmes? This decision reflects a broader pattern of poor governance and misplaced priorities. At a time when Gambian youth need more opportunities, infrastructure, and support, the very facilities meant for their benefit are being sold off under Badjie’s watch.
Bakary Badjie’s political career is marked by inconsistency and self-interest. During the Jammeh era, he served as a nominated councilor under the APRC in the Kanifing Municipal Council. At that time, there was little to no investment in youth or sports. Instead, the council was used as a political tool for the regime, prioritising propaganda over meaningful development. Resources were spent on fuel coupons for Kanilai farming, printing T-shirts for July 22nd celebrations, and other activities that had no real impact on sports or youth empowerment. When the political tide changed, Badjie reinvented himself as an opposition figure, only to later align himself with President Adama Barrow’s National People’s Party (NPP). His inconsistency was further exposed when he abandoned his ministerial post to contest for the position of KMC Mayor—a move that was widely seen as opportunistic. After losing the election, he returned to his ministerial role as if nothing had happened, further proving that his interest is more about personal gain than national development.
If Bakary Badjie is genuinely concerned about local government investments in sports and youth, he should first evaluate the performance of NPP-led councils. What significant projects have they implemented in these areas? The reality is that the same problems he blames on opposition councils are just as prevalent—if not worse—under NPP-controlled municipalities. The truth is that both central and local governments need to do more for Gambian youth and sports. However, Badjie’s attempt to shift blame while ignoring his own failures is both hypocritical and misleading. If he wants councils to invest in sports, his ministry should lead by example rather than making empty political statements.
Gambian youth deserve real development, not political propaganda. Instead of engaging in baseless attacks, Bakary Badjie should focus on fixing the national stadium, ensuring transparency in sports funding, and reversing the damages caused by the privatisation of youth facilities like Friendship Hotel. If he truly wants to be remembered as a champion of youth and sports, he must deliver tangible results rather than blame others for his own shortcomings. Until then, Gambians will continue to see him for what he is—a minister who failed in his responsibilities and is now desperately looking for scapegoats.
Ansumana Darboe
