By: SulaymanWaan
The Chairman of Anti-Corruption Coalition – The Gambia (ACCG) has opined that the Government of The Gambia is not doing enough to investigate corruption allegations made by civil society organisations about the public sector.
Abdoulie Jadama made this remarks on Wednesday during a press conference held in commemoration of the Africa Anti-Corruption Day held at YMCA, Kanifing.
He recalled that recently the current Minister of Health made a statement and revealed a massive corruption in the health sector to lawmakers in the National Assembly.
He pointed out that the president Barrow led government has been accused of failing to combat corruption. Also, he said, recently Gambia Democratic Congress (GDC) National Youth President also told a local newspaper that the government has failed to investigate the alleged corruption in the Health Ministry.
However, the ACCG boss said: “Gambian and Government of the Gambia are not obvious to the fact that there is still existence of grand and systematic corruption in the country, which is retarding economic growth and development in The Gambia.”
He said “corruption cannot be removed from the equation when reflecting on poor public service delivery Gambians and non-Gambians receive in our public health system, education, agriculture, poor road network, the efficient and unreliable supply of water and electricity.”
The corruption free society campaigner noted that his organization is extremely concern about the impact of corruption on the poorest and most vulnerable in The Gambia including ordinary citizens as they are suffering a lot.
However, he called on government to strive to implement recommendations and submit its report on its compliance with the African Union Convention on Prevention and Combating Corruption. And also, government should act without any further delay on the corruption allegation made by media, local and international organizations and show serious commitment to accountability and transparency in the disbursement of Covid-19 funds.
Jadama said ACCG do recognize many challenges that government had to do with but “we demand that The Gambia Government should take appropriate measures to enact effective and efficient national laws; create strong judicial system and an independent anti-corruption agency to spearhead the national anti-corruption reforms.”
He therefore called on media, civil society organization to be vigilant in shunning corruption in the country.
“Let us be more proactive in conducting government research and use data not only to hold the Government accountable but also to aid Government in combating corruption that is consuming the wealth of our beloved country and depriving our people from accessing basic needs,” he added.
