Hon. Halifa Sallah, the standard bearer of the People’s Democratic Organization for Independence and Socialism (PDOIS), has urged the Gambia government to protect farmers from exploitation.
He echoed this urging during a press conference at the party’s main office in Serrekunda on January 8, 2025, discussing the challenges facing agricultural productivity and the need for food self-sufficiency to meet market demands.
Hon. Sallah emphasised it is the government’s responsibility to safeguard the welfare of farmers against exploitation. “Given the efforts involved in bringing groundnuts to the world market and the costs incurred, there is a need for cost verification to determine appropriate pricing,” he said. “The government should not exploit its citizens or stand by while others do.”
He said further: “The government is supposed to protect its citizens, and we do not believe that is happening. It needs to happen.”
Mr Sallah pointed out that local government also has a role in providing markets for people, saying local institutions collect taxes and are obligated to represent their communities effectively. “According to the law, the local government must provide markets. The council is responsible for this and must organize and defend the rights of the people,” he stated.
He also stated that a nation should comprise associations, unions, or consumer protection organizations to defend individuals’ rights, thereby allowing the government to support and protect them. “That is why we said the state will not be an instrument of coercion,” he clarified. Despite the hard work and dedication of farmers in the fight against hunger in the country, many farmers still struggle to afford meat and fish as sources of protein due to high market prices, the PDOIS leader expressed concern.
