Gambiaj.com – (BANJUL, The Gambia) – Inspector General of Police Seedy Mukhtar Touray has made a strong appeal for increased funding to The Gambia’s internal security services, citing urgent operational and logistical gaps that threaten to undermine the effectiveness of the Gambia Police Force.
Speaking at the 2026 Budget Consultation Workshop convened by the Ministry of Finance and Economic Affairs (MoFEA), IGP Touray emphasized that the country’s security institutions, including the police, are overstretched and under-resourced.
He urged finance officials to prioritize security in the upcoming national budget, warning that any meaningful intervention in the country’s internal security will depend heavily on the financial support allocated to law enforcement agencies.
“As head of internal security, I wish to underscore that our success hinges on timely and adequate budgetary backing from the Ministry of Finance,” Touray stated. “We are facing pressing logistical and operational issues that cannot be ignored.”
The consultation, hosted by MoFEA’s Department of Budget, was aimed at aligning the project proposals of Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs) with the government’s medium-term fiscal and development priorities.
The exercise forms part of preparations for the 2026 budget cycle, framed around the National Development Plan’s post-COVID recovery ambitions and a broader focus on fiscal discipline, job creation, and efficient service delivery.
Permanent Secretary Abdoulie Jallow of MoFEA acknowledged the global economic headwinds, including inflation and geopolitical instability, but called on MDAs to submit budget estimates that reflect institutional priorities while adhering to principles of transparency and fiscal credibility.
“All submissions must be guided by the 2026–2028 Budget Call Circular,” Jallow advised. “We expect institutions to prioritize expenditures that advance policy goals and offer the greatest developmental impact.”
Security sector financing has long been a contested issue in The Gambia. While the country has made strides in democratic reform and transitional justice since the fall of former President Yahya Jammeh, capacity deficits in policing, border management, and national intelligence continue to pose serious challenges.
Touray’s intervention signals growing anxiety within the country’s internal security leadership, as concerns mount over rising crime, youth unrest, and limited operational readiness.
IGP Touray’s plea also comes at a time when The Gambia is facing regional security spillovers from neighboring countries, heightening the stakes for domestic stability.
MDAs have until July 4 to upload budget submissions to the Integrated Financial Management Information System (IFMIS). Participation in bilateral budget discussions, scheduled to begin July 7, is conditional upon compliance with program-based budgeting guidelines.
The outcome of this budget process may well determine whether The Gambia’s security forces will be equipped to meet the increasingly complex demands of internal peacekeeping and public safety.
