By: Nyima Sillah
The Deputy Leader of the Gambia Action Party (GAP), Babucarr Bayo, said it’s the responsibility of the government to deal with corruption head-on, adding that the vice impedes the progress of any nation.
Bayo advised that the anti-corruption bill be given teeth so that when it becomes law, people found wanting of stealing public funds could be effectively dealt with as dictated by the law.
The deputy GAP leader also advised that the enactment into law of the anti-corruption bill should be expeditious so that those suspected of dipping their hands into public coffers could be made accountable for their abuse of public money.
According to Mr. Bayo, the Barrow administration is being accompanied by numerous corruption scandals from the highest office of the land (the President’s Office) right down to the ministries.
He argued that the corruption in the Barrow administration had become widespread, saying the Gambian people are expecting a “responsible” government to steer the country towards the ‘greater good”.
“The instrument binding the activation of the anti-corruption bill should become a reality. The oversight function of the National Assembly should also ensure that they have those checks and balances,” Bayo stated.
On the ongoing Local Government Commission of Inquiry, the GAP deputy leader contended that it’s understandable that the Local Government Ministry is assuming responsibility for the alleged financial mismanagement at the various local governments.
“One will understand that the Ministry itself is taking responsibility because all those that were invited before the commission were appointed by the Ministry itself,” he asserted.
“These are things that are giving clear indications that corrupt practices are not coming from the people,” he argued.
He described the local government commission as a show commission as, according to him, nothing remarkable will happen even after it issues its Whitepaper and recommendations.
