In his Koriteh message to the nation, President Adama Barrow spoke about the challenges facing the country, saying his government has taken steps to cut down the budget expenditure of all ministries, departments, and agencies.

He said: "I am sadly aware of the price hikes, and the resulting challenges posed to families. In response, my government has taken steps to cut down on expenditure, and subsidize the price of fuel to ease the hardship arising from the ever-increasing price of fuel on the world market.”

The president continued: "These are temporal government measures, so I call on all Gambians to engage in more sustainable strategies, including intensifying agriculture for local consumption.

"Out of necessity, we have to minimize our reliance on imported essential food commodities as much as we can. The surest way to achieve this is to get serious about farming."

But during his address on national television, no mention was made of the rampant corruption and fiscal indiscipline in his government.

Since Barrow came to power in 2017 after ending Jammeh's 22-year-old rule, many Gambians have been deprived of their most basic needs and go to bed hungry every night because of corruption, while the powerful and corrupt enjoy luxurious lifestyles with impunity.

The opposition United Democratic Party (UDP) said in a statement that Barrow's administration is synonymous with endemic corruption, disregard for the rule of law, and violations of common-sense regulations.