Opposition party, Gambia For All (GFA) has lashed out at the government over corruption related issues which the party claimed has weakened the trust of both national and foreign investors.
“The corruption the Barrow government condones has weakened the trust of both national and foreign investors and, the country’s standing in the democratic world. Over the years, the government’s failure to fight corruption and many other failures of leadership clearly shows that Barrow government is either unwilling or incapable of addressing the most basic of the legitimate aspirations of The Gambian people. The high prices of basic commodities and the pitiful state of our health facilities reflect the leadership deficit in this country,” GFA leader Bakary Bunja Darboe said in a statement.
“The allegations levelled against the Barrow administration and by extension to The Gambian People at large by US Department of State report are very serious but not surprising, particularly for those living through the daily hardship in The Gambia,” he added.
He said as patriotic Gambians we feel very much embarrassed about these allegations. Since the publication of the US State Department’s Report, there was no response from the Barrow administration to either refute or apologize to The Gambian people, if the allegations are true.
“Their total silence on this very important national issue is not acceptable, especially for a country that has suffered unbridled corruption with total impunity throughout the Jammeh dictatorship. The failure of the Barrow administration to fight corruption and the corrupt practices of some of its officials should not be allowed to taint the integrity of The Gambia and The Gambian people nor hypothecate their future development.
“We call on the Barrow administration to come out of its shell with evidence and forcefully refute these allegations in defence of his government, but more importantly, the good name and integrity of The Gambian people. Failure to do this basic responsibility of the administration as a national duty, will give more credence to the reported allegations of widespread corruption,” it continued.