It is quite unfortunate that I am compelled to clarify Dr. Ismaila Ceesay’s comment, which, in many instances, has been repeated by his colleagues and some NPP party officials, claiming that what President Adama Barrow has done, no other government has ever done.
This assertion is regrettable and historically misleading. Dr. Ceesay and most of his colleagues and NPP party officials must appreciate that the People’s Progressive Party (PPP) laid the very foundation of the Gambian state.
As with any structure, if the foundation is weak, the building collapses. The fact that The Gambia—once described by many observers as economically unviable for independence—survived an attempted coup in 1981, military takeover in 1994, and a brutal 22 years of dictatorship is itself powerful evidence of the strength of the foundations built by Sir Dawda Jawara and the PPP.
At independence, The Gambia inherited an extremely fragile state: only one private bank (Standard Bank of British West Africa), no national currency and no central bank, just 22 miles of paved roads from Bathurst (Banjul) to Brikama, 77 primary schools, and only four secondary schools nationwide.
The health sector was severely underdeveloped, with one doctor for about 18,700 people, one hospital bed per 690 people, and high death rates due largely to malnutrition.
The country also inherited a public debt of £5.3 million, so severe that by March 1965 the government struggled to pay civil servants’ salaries. Because of these conditions, many colonial officials and international observers doubted The Gambia’s ability to survive as an independent nation. These realities are documented in Berkeley Rice’s Enter Gambia: The Birth of an Improbable Nation.
Despite these constraints, the PPP did not merely govern—it built a state almost from scratch. Almost all the core institutions that successive governments continue to rely on today were established during the PPP era, including the Office of the President, government ministries and departments, national security institutions, the Gambian Dalasi (National Currency), Central Bank of The Gambia, Social Security and Housing Finance Corporation (SSHFC), Gambia Ports Authority, GAMWORKS, Kotu Power Plant, Banjul International Airport, Gambia Civil Aviation, Gambia Technical Training Institute (GTTI), Management Development Institute (MDI), Gambia College, schools of nursing (SRN, SEN, CHN), the School of Education, School of Public Health, School of Agriculture, School of Animal Health and Production, Rural Development Institute (RDI), Gambia Hotel Schools, Gambia Telecommunication and Multimedia Institute (GTMI), Cooperative Training schools, Cooperative Societies, Independence Stadium, Gambia Post Offices, the Primary Health Care system, health centres and health posts nationwide, regional education offices, local government structures, the Banjul drainage system, Albert Market, Customs and Income Tax (now known as the Gambia Revenue Authority), Central Abattoir, 13 Provincial wharves and jetties constructed from Albreda to Basse, attorney General of chambers, Non-Formal Education (adult Literacy Program), fishing infrastructure across the country, just to name a few, and many of these fisheries infrastructures, which once ensured affordable fish for Gambians, are today either decapitalised or non-functional, contributing to rising fish prices due to government policies. These institutions and infrastructure remain the backbone of the Gambian state, serving all administrations regardless of political affiliation.
The PPP government also constructed feeder roads across the entire country, linking rural communities to markets, schools, health centres, and administrative services—an essential step in national integration and poverty reduction. Most notably, from constructing the Denton Bridge and the tarred road from Banjul to Basse was constructed under extremely difficult conditions, involving cutting hills, building bridges, and navigating forests and wildlife at a time when there were no sophisticated construction machines, particularly in African countries. Completing such a national highway under those conditions remains a remarkable engineering and developmental achievement.
It is worth considering that if the NPP government were starting from scratch, without the institutions, systems, and administrative structures established by the PPP, would they have been able to undertake such a wide range of infrastructural development? These institutions—spanning government ministries, regulatory bodies, technical training centers, and financial and social service agencies—form the very backbone that makes national development possible. Without them, planning, coordination, and implementation of projects at the scale we see today would be nearly impossible. The reality is that infrastructure does not emerge in a vacuum; it relies on the strong institutional foundations laid over decades, and the PPP provided precisely that groundwork for The Gambia.
We must all agree that governments come and go, and development is a continuous process. As members of the PPP, we acknowledge and applaud the significant infrastructural developments being undertaken by President Barrow and the NPP, particularly in road construction, which has helped open up the country and improve connectivity.
However, it must be said honestly that many of these roads were built upon routes first paved or planned during the PPP era, making it easier today to upgrade them into tarred roads.
The PPP governed with people-centred policies at its core—empowering farmers, fighting poverty, and ensuring affordability. The leadership was fully aware that The Gambia was a poor, tax-base-limited country, and that development must never worsen living conditions or create unbearable affordability challenges for the population. Resources were therefore used prudently and wisely, guided by the principle that development must be inclusive, sustainable, and affordable. Development was never pursued at the expense of the people.
Despite inheriting a £5.3 million debt at independence, by 1994- after three decades of PPP governance—the national debt stood at about D2 billion, reflecting cautious borrowing and fiscal discipline under extremely constrained conditions.
By contrast, the public debt under the NPP administration from 2017 to 2025 (8 years) is estimated at around D92 billion, compared to the PPP’s 30-year debt of D2 billion. Without doubt, when governments borrow at such levels, a higher level of visible infrastructure development is to be expected. Any comparison of development must therefore take into account population size, tax capacity, borrowing levels, technology, and historical context. Ignoring these factors is misleading.
We are also delighted to witness the successful implementation of the Gambia River Basin Development Project (OMVG), which was designed and negotiated under Sir Dawda Jawara. Seeing it now deliver rural electrification under President Barrow is a source of pride. Without hesitation, we give credit to the current government for implementing this vision—because they could have chosen not to continue it.
On human rights and tolerance, it is difficult to understand how anyone in their right mind could attempt to compare President Adama Barrow with Sir Dawda Kairaba Jawara. Under Sir Dawda’s leadership, The Gambia became a continental and global champion of human rights, a reputation that led to the establishment of the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights (ACHPR) in the country. At a time when many African countries embraced one-party states, The Gambia under the PPP upheld multiparty democracy, political pluralism, and tolerance.
Importantly, PPP parliamentary victories were frequently challenged in court. In many cases, courts nullified election results and ordered fresh elections. The PPP government respected these rulings without interference, and new elections were held, demonstrating a rare commitment to judicial independence and the rule of law, even when decisions went against the ruling party.
It is also an open secret that ECOMOG (now ECOMIG) was founded by Sir Dawda Jawara following the Banjul Peace Summit. Decades later, this same force played a decisive role in preserving peace and stability in The Gambia and continues to do so at the request of the current government.
Sir Dawda Jawara was not a perfect man, and the PPP was not a perfect government. However, any attempt to diminish or erase the PPP’s contributions—while the nation continues to rely on its institutions, infrastructure, and democratic culture—is neither fair nor historically accurate. Development does not begin in a vacuum. What exists today stands on foundations laid yesterday. Recognising this truth does not undermine present achievements; it strengthens national unity, historical honesty, and respect for the legacy of those who built The Gambia against overwhelming odds.
The PPP will take many by surprise, as under the leadership of Ousman Madikay Faal, the party is undergoing significant reorganisation and restructuring, working diligently toward strengthening itself as a robust political institution. The PPP is clear in its mission: it is here to stay. The party recently made history when a party member successfully challenged an incumbent leader and defeated him through an internal democratic process.
This landmark event clearly demonstrates that the PPP does not belong to any single individual, but to all its members. The party remains open to anyone who wishes to join, and its continued existence is crucial to defending against statements like those made by Dr. Ceesay, ensuring that the PPP’s legacy and historical contributions are never erased.
Kebba Nanko
PPP Director of Policy and Implementation
