State House press director has said only government officials are receiving D1,000 for their housing and other needs per day during President Barrow’s Meet-The-People Tour which began on Monday.

Amie Bojang-Sissoho, who spoke to Gambiana on telephone, refuted rumours that every persons on the tour were paid D2,000 per day as allowance.

She said: “I am not aware of that one…I know that government officials are being paid their per diems and that is not D2,000 dalasis … it is D1,000 that they have been paid so that they can pay for their rooms and everything (else).”

On Monday, President Barrow began his Meet-the-People Tour with large crowd accompanying him from the capital, Banjul to Fass Njaga Choi province in the North Bank Region where he held his first meeting.

The president is expected to speak at 40 in-country meetings during his tour.

However, critics have expressed their dissatisfaction with the president’s Meet-the-People Tour saying that he should have met the nation prior to this year’s rainy season”.

His critics said he would have “nothing to tell the farming communities” who experienced delayed rain which would have negative impact on this year’s harvest.

Reporting by Adama Makasuba