Dear Editor,
Across The Gambia, a troubling pattern has taken root within public institutions: public officials prioritise their salaries, allowances, and benefits while neglecting the very offices, facilities, and services they oversee. This misplaced focus undermines governance, erodes public trust, and leaves citizens at the mercy of a broken system. Since 2017, every effort has been undertaken to increase the salaries and allowances of the President, NAMs, and Judges, among other public officials, as a priority. But…Â
A grim picture inside public offices
Step into many government buildings today, and you will likely be greeted by crumbling walls, peeling paint, and broken furniture. Toilets are often filthy or entirely out of order. Necessities like clean water, functioning fans, or air conditioning are missing, leaving staff and citizens to endure sweltering heat. For example, as NAMs are fighting to increase judges’ salaries, allowances and benefits, the state of court premises is deplorable. In contrast, court facilities and services are generally inadequate and poor.
Essential work tools, such as computers, printers, internet access, and stationery, are either scarce or non-existent. Old files and broken furniture clutter hallways, while leaking roofs and poor lighting make the environment unsafe and demoralising. Sometimes, even something as simple as a decent chair or a clean waiting area for citizens is considered a luxury.
Comfort for the few, neglect for the many
Ironically, while these facilities decay, senior officials aggressively lobby for higher salaries, better allowances, luxury vehicles, and foreign travel opportunities. Budget allocations often favour workshops, retreats, and ceremonial events rather than investments in basic infrastructure or frontline service delivery. A new fleet of official cars can be purchased without hesitation, yet requests to repair toilets or rehabilitate a leaking roof can languish for years. This stark contrast reveals a fundamental governance problem: personal comfort is valued over public service.
The impact on citizens and workers
These conditions demoralise civil servants, reducing their productivity and weakening the quality of services delivered to citizens. Hospitals lack essential equipment, while senior health officials drive expensive vehicles. Schools operate with broken benches and leaking classrooms, yet education officers enjoy foreign trips and generous allowances. Police stations, local government offices, and border posts are ruined, but funds are always available for political rallies and celebrations.
For citizens, this means frustration, delays, and a deepening distrust of public institutions. Many are forced to pay bribes to access services that should be free; a direct consequence of weak systems and poorly equipped offices.
A call to reset national priorities
It is time for The Gambia to reset its priorities. Public funds must first be directed toward improving service delivery and rehabilitating government institutions before increasing salaries and allowances.
Government leaders, from ministers to permanent secretaries, should be held accountable for the state of their offices and the quality of services provided under their watch. Annual performance reviews should include independent inspections of facilities and direct citizen feedback.
Civil society and the media must also step up by exposing wasteful spending and highlighting the deplorable conditions in public offices. Citizens have a right to demand transparency and insist that their tax money serves the public interest.
Leadership is about service, not luxury
Authentic leadership is measured by the well-being of the people, not the comfort of officials. A minister’s worth is not in the size of their convoy or the luxury of their travel accommodations but in the dignity and efficiency of the services they deliver to citizens. Public office is a sacred trust, not an entitlement. When officials prioritise their own comfort while leaving citizens to navigate decaying systems, they betray that trust.
The Gambia must choose a new path where public resources are used to build strong institutions, provide decent workspaces, and deliver quality services. Anything less is not leadership, but self-enrichment at the nation’s expense.
For The Gambia, Our Homeland
Madi Jobarteh
Kembujeh
