By: Alieu Jallow
The National Assembly Member (NAM) for Foni Kansala, Almameh Gibba, has accused the government of failing to disburse the 2024 Constituency Development Fund (CDF) to lawmakers, citing a lack of funds.
In an exclusive interview with The Fatu Network, Hon. Gibba expressed frustration over the non-payment, stating that the government’s claim of financial constraints contradicts its recent budgetary allocations. He alleged that while legislators have been denied their development funds, the government has allocated D60 million for the President’s “Meet the People” tour.
“The government has failed to allocate our 2024 budget. No member of the National Assembly has received these funds. So, we are left to fend for ourselves—seeking funding from organizations to support our constituencies. This is how we are managing in Foni. We only received two allocations in previous years, but the allocation for 2024 is nonexistent. Now, they are saying the funds will be allocated in 2025, which means it’s a failure—a backlog of our funds that remains unpaid,” Gibba stated.
“The government claims there is no money to pay our Constituency Development Funds, yet it has spent D60 million on the President’s ‘Meet the People’ tour—extravagantly, for political purposes. Meanwhile, funds for national development and National Assembly members are unavailable. They blame donors for not fulfilling their commitments, yet they can source funds for other priorities while leaving us in limbo as representatives of the people,” he added.
The CDF is an annual allocation meant to support grassroots development initiatives in constituencies across the country. Many NAMs rely on these funds to address pressing community needs, from infrastructure projects to social support programs.
The outspoken NAM further criticized the government, accusing it of neglecting the welfare of its citizens. He reiterated his stance against the government’s budget, stating that he has consistently opposed it in parliament to prevent them from trivializing national matters. Additionally, he emphasized that parliamentarians will not allow the issue of their allocations to be ignored.
“Our National Assembly finances are in limbo, yet now they are saying they will allocate funds in the first quarter of 2025. This means they are skipping the failed 2024 allocation instead of addressing it. We will not let this go. We will continue to speak out and inform our people that our Constituency Development Funds have not been disbursed due to the government’s claim of zero funding,” he outlined.
The Fatu Network attempted to reach out to the Minister of Information, Media, and Broadcasting Services for a comment, but our efforts were unsuccessful.
Gibba’s allegations will likely spark concerns about the government’s financial management and commitment to equitable resource distribution. As the situation unfolds, constituents and lawmakers await clarity on whether the CDF will be disbursed and how government spending decisions align with national priorities.
