Millennium Challenge Corporation Agency’s Financial Report 2020, has announced that The Gambia scored high in controlling corruption and maintaining democratic rights, saying the nation will enter the Fiscal Year 2021 on a positive note.
A statement obtained from State House media team on Thursday stated that President Adama Barrow’s administration is advancing in its governance policy, by ruling justly.
“In the Fiscal Year 2021 Report, the WB/Brookings/WGI credited the Barrow Administration 82% score for Government Effectiveness and 92% for Control of Corruption as well as Rule of Law,” the statement said.
The statement said, despite the impact of the COVID-19, the government is on the right track on Child health and Girls Primary Education completion rate, scoring 67% and 68% respectively.
“President Barrow’s Administration has controlled inflation to 7.1, that is less than half of the maximum inflation rate of 15.0. In a very positive Trade Policy environment, with a score of 72% and a regulatory quality environment scoring 73%, it demonstrates the government’s commitment to improving the lives of Gambians, by creating an environment to reduce poverty. The policy programme has also created a positive environment for women’s economic engagement, scoring 81% on Gender in the Economy,” the statement pointed out.
Reacting to the report, President Barrow commended the Civil and Public Servants for their commitment to hard work despite the challenges they face and urged them to ensure that processes and procedures are continuously respected.
He also expressed appreciation to the policymakers for demonstrating the strong political will to have a system in place that gives priority to serving the general good.
The President urged all citizens and partners to continue to support his Administration and to work together to improve on other areas such as land rights and access, business startups and access to credit, fiscal policy, expenditures in health and primary education and natural resource protection.
He challenged all Civil Servants to cooperate and re-double their efforts to better serve The Gambia as one people and one nation.
The Millennium Challenge Corporation-MCC scored The Gambia high on 12 areas of the socio-economic and political development, using the scorecards of reputable institutions such as WB/ Brookings WGI, IMF WEO, Heritage Foundation, Freedom House, RSF/Access Now / CLD, UN bodies such as WHO, UNESCO, UNICEF, IFAD, CIESIN/YCELP.