Dou Sannoh, Presidential Adviser
By Fatou Sillah
Dou Sannoh, Presidential Adviser to President Adama Barrow, has accused Essa Mbye Faal, leader of the APP Sobeya Party, of pursuing the presidency for self-enrichment. Sannoh made these remarks in response to recent criticisms of the Barrow administration by Faal.
“I believe Essa Mbye Faal’s ambition to become president is motivated by a desire to exploit The Gambia’s resources for personal gain. He does not have the country’s best interests at heart. In fact, he is unfit to lead and will never qualify for the presidency. While he criticizes the government for youth unemployment, he himself has contributed to the problem,” Sannoh stated.
The presidential adviser went on to allege that Faal, despite advocating for youth employment, has prioritized investments in Senegal, benefiting Senegalese citizens instead of Gambians.
“Essa Mbye Faal thinks of Gambians as fools, but the people of this country are far from foolish. They know what they want. If Faal truly cared about the Gambian youth, he would have invested in The Gambia and created jobs here, as other patriotic citizens have done. Instead, he chose to establish businesses in Senegal, providing employment there while neglecting his own people. Now, he wants to rule the very people he has abandoned,” Sannoh asserted.
Sannoh further criticized Faal’s track record, claiming that the former regime funded his education, yet he failed to use his knowledge to benefit The Gambia. He accused Faal of serving foreign interests, including representing individuals accused of human rights violations, in pursuit of financial gain.
“President Adama Barrow, on the other hand, has fulfilled his responsibilities. Unlike Faal, who has used his education abroad for personal advancement, President Barrow has invested in the development of The Gambia. It’s worth noting that President Barrow gave Faal an opportunity to serve in the TRRC (Truth, Reconciliation, and Reparations Commission), which is the only reason Gambians even know him today,” Sannoh added.
He also defended President Barrow’s leadership, highlighting his contributions to peace, infrastructure, and the well-being of vulnerable groups.
“President Barrow is not your competitor, Essa Mbye Faal. His achievements over the past eight years speak for themselves. The peace and development we enjoy today—such as the projects under the OIC—are a testament to his leadership. You claim these developments are solely tied to the OIC, but let’s not forget they happened during Barrow’s administration. Without his efforts, we wouldn’t have the bridges, roads, and other infrastructure that you see today,” Sannoh concluded.