A leaked government document has shown that officials on President Barrow’s Meet-the-People Tour are being paid D2,000 per night.

The unverified document from the Personnel Management Office (PMO), dated October 31, 2019 and sent to all government departments, states:

“This is to inform you that approval has been granted to increase travelling (night) allowance from D650 to D2,000 with effect from 1st November 2019.

“This allowance is granted to an officer travelling on duty within The Gambia for one or more nights.”

The leaked document has cast doubt on the statement of the State House press director Amie Bojang-Sissoho who told Gambiana yesterday that no official on the president’s tour are being paid D2,000 per night.

She said government officials are receiving D1,000 for their housing and other needs per day during the president’s Meet-The-People Tour which began on Monday.

“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),” Mrs Bojang-Sissoho told Gambiana.

However critics have blamed her of a coverup.

“So Amie Bojang-Sissoho is saying public officials on tour with the president aren’t being paid per diem allowances of D2000/night? What is this official document from the PMO then? Usual coverup,” said Bass Sonko an official of the APRC party.

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.