Banjul, The Gambia — Contrary to wild and malicious Social Media reports calculated to stain the Presidency with allegations of corruption and malfeasance, the Office of The President (OP) informs the public, that it remains unwavering in maintaining due diligence in the execution of allocated budgets.
Therefore, claims by an anonymous “Senior Officer in The State House” preceded by scurrilous online posts against the Chief of Staff, Mr. Mod K. Ceesay and Assistant Procurement Officer, Ms. Ajara Samba, are figments of warped imagination.
Evidently, the leaked procurement letter clearly demonstrates high level of prudence by the Office of The President in adhering to budgetary and procurement protocols. The indicated appropriated monthly entertainment sum of D375,000 caters for official state functions hosted by OP, including care for visiting dignitaries, Cabinet meetings and official receptions.
The renting of aircraft for Presidential trips rests squarely with The Office of the Chief of Protocol, which conducts periodic checks on registered Air Craft Service Providers.
Therefore, reports that Ms Samba was in Nigeria to hire a flight is grossly false. Instead, she was part of an Inspection Team sent to Nigeria to verify aviation certification, safety and compliances with all necessary aviation protocols and financial viability consistent with Government procurement process.
Ms. Samba is not the head of the OP Procurement Office, and has never been assigned a vehicle as falsely reported. Rather, as a staff member, she has access to the official duty vehicle assigned to the Procurement Department.
Significantly, the appointment of The Chief of Staff, Mod K. Ceesay on 10th May, 2022 was preceded by Ajara Samba’s posting to State House and Mr. M. K. Touray’s departure for overseas training. Mr. Touray was reassigned to the Ministry of Petroleum and Energy only after the completion of his studies.
Besides, the procurement cadre of the Central Government is headed by a Director under the Ministry of Finance who posts officers to various ministries.
Crucially, President Barrow’s record in advancing transparency and probity in governance is enduring. He is the first President since independence in 1965 to assent to the Access to Information Act 2021, giving citizens, researchers and media practitioners qualified access to public records.
The Anti-Corruption Bill is progressing through the legislative process and President Barrow is poised to assent to it once passed by the National Assembly. Under Mr. Barrow’s tolerant leadership, the media is unprecedentedly vibrant and citizens are actively participating in national discourse without restrictions. The judiciary is independently reforming itself according to the aspirations of the Gambian people and in consonance with international best practices.
Signed
Ebrima G. Sankareh
The Gambia Government Spokesperson & Presidential Diaspora Adviser