The Coalition of Progressive Gambians (CoPG), an organisation dedicated to fighting corruption, nepotism, and social ills in The Gambia, has expressed its dissatisfaction with President Barrow’s leadership, citing inefficiency.
During a press conference held on August 3, the group addressed several pressing issues, including audit reports, inflation, rising crime rates, the draft constitution, and the concerning cases of acute kidney failure leading to deaths in children, among other concerns.
Celestine Kujabi, the Secretary-General of the group, informed the media that this press conference was organised following the submission of written concerns to the Gambian government in April. Unfortunately, the government showed no political will to address these concerns, leading to stagnation in the development process of The Gambia.
The CoPG challenged President Barrow’s government for its inaction in eradicating corruption and called for immediate action against corruption allegations involving government officials and other key state figures.
While Kujabi commended the establishment of commissions of inquiry investigating financial transactions in local government institutions, he emphasised the need for addressing the findings to prevent recurring malpractices.
The group also criticised elected representatives in the National Assembly for accepting vehicle offers, which, they claim, cost taxpayers millions of dalasi, worsening the poor state of the country’s health sector, agricultural challenges, and deficiencies in educational institutions.
Furthermore, the CoPG expressed discontent with the recent diplomatic scandal involving senior staff at the Gambia embassy in the United States. They deemed the response of the Minister of Foreign Affairs insensitive to diplomacy and urged the National Assembly to hold the minister accountable for the scandal.
The CoPG had applied for a permit through the office of the Inspector General of Police last year but faced severe denial. Only in April were they finally granted a permit to express their dismay over the current state of The Gambia under President Adama Barrow, who is serving his second term in office.
