Dr. Ousman Gajigo, Economist formerly with ADB
By Ramatoulie Jawo
Dr. Ousman Gajigo has attributed the continued inability of Gambians living abroad to vote in national elections to a lack of political will from the government.
Speaking during an appearance on Coffee Time with Peter Gomez, Dr. Gajigo highlighted the vital role the diaspora plays in The Gambia’s economy, revealing that in 2024 alone, Gambians abroad sent home over $700 million in remittances—an amount he noted surpasses the country’s national budget.
“In the case of the Gambia, this is particularly important because if you look at the percentage of Gambians that live abroad, it is a huge percentage of our total population. So this issue is particularly salient in our case. That is also another reason to think about our diaspora and the role they play in the Gambian economy and in everyday life. We have tens of thousands of Gambians living just in the U.S. alone, if you combine Western Europe and other parts of the world and you’re talking about over a hundred thousand Gambians abroad, these are not just any average Gambians living abroad,” he emphasized.
He described the impact of the Gambian diaspora on the national economy as nearly immeasurable. Citing data from both GBOS and international organizations, he noted that more than half of Gambian households rely heavily on remittances to meet their daily expenses.
He further emphasized that when you examine the proportion of household spending covered by these remittances, it’s evident that the diaspora plays a crucial role in sustaining families across the country.
“But even if they were not contributing that much every citizen, you have a right to make sure that you have this civic right to play, to have a voice in the political affairs of your country and it is the responsibility of the government. I mean everyone in the country but principally the government to make sure that right is afforded to Gambians and you do not place any unnecessary obstacle or burden towards that,” he said.
He pointed out that within The Gambia’s political system, citizens don’t simply show up on Election Day with a passport or national ID to vote. Instead, there’s a formal process that begins about six months prior, requiring individuals to register before they’re eligible to vote when the time comes.
He explained that for Gambians living abroad, this process is even more challenging and often inaccessible. Yet, he noted, this very government—currently in a transitional phase—has heavily relied on the diaspora for support, whether through mobilization, fundraising, or other contributions.
He also drew comparisons with countries like Guinea, which, despite being less economically advanced, still allow their diaspora communities to vote. “We see Guineans casting ballots in countries like Senegal,” he said, highlighting The Gambia’s failure to do the same as a glaring shortcoming.
“But here, the political will is lacking. It will probably take a long time to fully account for everything that has gone wrong, but the truth of the matter is the political will is not there right now. The current government does not support it. I know there are individuals outside the government who oppose it but it is a very sad state of affairs to have a situation where you have this group of Gambians in sheer numbers who play such a critical role in our economy and society and been denied such a basic rights to participate in the country’s political affairs,” he said.
He stated that this is an issue that can be resolved, and the mere fact that it still exists is a national embarrassment.