Alagie Bayo Challenges government over Covid-19 funds

By Yusupha Jobe

The public relation director of the Gambia Action Party (GAP) has challenged government departments over the struggling for consideration of which departments to receive huge funds (amounts) of the coronavirus pandemic fund rather than responding to people’s livelihood needs.

“What we are currently seeing is the imminent positions in the government departments struggling to see who get big share from the Covid-19 funds. All we know is that the donated funds should be used to fight against the pandemic,” Alagie Bayo stated.

In an interview with The Voice, he said the last month proclamation made by the President on the State of Public Emergency has purposely been done to prevent any further spread of coronavirus pandemic.

He lamented that “what we are currently witnessing as a party is that senior government officials are now fighting on who to get the huge share of the donated funds in their ministries and departments instead of providing food for the sustenance of our people.”

He said the proclamation is respecting accordingly, “but what about other people who cannot afford daily food to eat.”

He said without any sustainability measure put in place himself will not allow his children to die of hunger “because of Covid-19.”

Bayo disclosed that the Gambia Action Party has so far not seen any meaningful action from the side of the government towards fighting the pandemic. He added that his party duty as far as political party is concern is to put the government into task to make good and responsible plan to prevent the spread of the virus in the country.

“Yes, it is our responsibility as an opposition party to put government into task in order to cater for basic food commodities for our own people regarding the proclamation. You cannot tell me to stay at home and you are not giving me any food to eat it is not possible,” he stated.