By Adama Makasuba
Top lawyer, Assan Martin has apprised government ministers to stop junketing for per diem as they will account for their actions to Gambians someday.
Lawyer Martin’s reaction comes amid the public backlash against Youths and Sports Minister, Honourable Bakary Badjie whose wife, a non-government official, was paid a travel allowance for two weeks for traveling to the Commonwealth Games in Birmingham and Islamic Solidarity Games in Turkey.
“We are very concerned about the situation of the country which is very sad, the living condition of the people is hard and Gambians are frustrated. The country is on the verge of a failed state which many would not understand but a broken system will follow generations.
“I fear about the future of this country because a country which doesn’t have rules and regulations where everyone does what he or she wants and the government isn’t doing anything to address the plights of people,” he enunciated.
“We have seen lately at the end of the Jammeh regime and in this Barrow government as some people are abusing the per diem using it to build homes. We have some government officials travelling always while Gambians are suffering. We have seen Barrow himself exploiting too much traveling, we should cut down traveling expenditure for the benefit of the country.
“My advice to all the ministers is let them not abuse per diem because it’s people’s money and we have seen many of the ministers traveling always and it is costing the people a lot. So, I advise the Minister of Youths and Sports to reduce the traveling too,” he added.
in utter dismay, he said “I’m sorry, this country is a failure. I have not seen any success stories since 2017. I challenge any Ministry or their spokesperson to a debate that since the change of government in 2017, I have not seen any success story of any Ministry in this country.”