The Barrow government has strongly refuted allegations of financial improprieties after a local newspaper, Daily News, published a story detailing payments from the public account without proper documentation.

In a press release signed by the government spokesman, Ebrima G. Sankareh, the government refuted the allegation as “misleading”.

Below we reproduce the full press release:

“The Government of The Gambia wishes to bring to the attention of the public that it has absolutely nothing to do with the Two Hundred and One million Dalasis (D201Million) scandal reported by The Daily News Newspaper in its Wednesday, 10th July, 2019 edition.

“The lead story, captioned: “D201 Million Payments Without Adequate Documentation Uncovered” and bearing the official seal of The President’s Office, is grossly misleading and highly suspicious as it purports to convey a message of complicity by the Presidency in the alleged financial impropriety.

“Therefore, the public is hereby informed that the entire story is based on an audit report carried out in December, 2016 covering the fiscal year preceding President Adama Barrow’s tenure.

“While The Gambia Government recognises and totally respects the important role journalists play in our society, it expects those who convey information to the public to equally do so with objectivity, thoroughness and clarity for an informed citizenry.

“While The Daily News report catalogues serious incidence of administrative malfeasance and violations of existing law, the story deals exclusively with events in 2016 under ex-President Yaya Jammeh.

“Equally, The Gambia Government deems it unfair the misleading headline accompanied by an editorial speculating the potential for “continued corrupt practices” under the current dispensation.

“Citizens are reminded that the Barrow presidency remains awake to the plight of our people and the spineless waste of state resources reported by The Daily newspaper cannot be tolerated in this government. Conscious of this, numerous steps have been taken and good legislations enacted to protect The Central Bank of The Gambia and all state resources from plunder and mismanagement.”