Barrow’s Anti Corruption Pledge: A Grand Deception or a Mockery of Voters?
On January 27, 2025, The Standard Newspaper reported that President Adama Barrow vowed his government would take a tough stance against corruption, boldly claiming that “even relatives will not be spared.”
Yet, just days later, on January 30, in a special interview with Alieu Ceesay on QTV, Barrow’s remarks exposed the hollowness of his so called anti corruption fight. His words, spoken verbatim, were a shocking dismissal of the urgency and severity of corruption in The Gambia:
“We cannot eliminate corruption, but we can minimize it, we can reduce it. Corruption is as old as mankind. Corruption is all over the world, even in the most advanced countries. They are involved in corruption, but their way of corruption and our way of corruption is different, they institutionalized their own corruption, so they cover it. Corruption is also subjective, we can just wake up and say there is corruption or this person is corrupt but how do you substantiate that. How do you justify your case beyond any reasonable doubt? That is where the question is?” President Barrow, Special Interview with Alieu Ceesay,QTV Gambia
This response is not only an outrageous deflection but a glaring testament to Barrow’s failure to lead with integrity. Rather than adopting a zero tolerance approach, he trivializes corruption as an inevitable reality, an insult to every Gambian suffering the consequences of unchecked looting, nepotism, and abuse of power. His earlier statement reveal a pattern of election season rhetoric designed to pacify voters while shielding himself and his cronies from accountability.
Since taking office, Barrow has presided over an administration riddled with corruption scandals, yet his government remains paralyzed when it comes to prosecuting corrupt officials. The few cases pursued are mere smokescreens, low level fraudsters sacrificed to create an illusion of justice while high ranking allies enjoy impunity. His reluctance to take decisive action exposes a deliberate strategy: protect those in power and maintain the corrupt status quo.
Repeated failures to prosecute corrupt officials, enforce transparency, and act on damning audit reports paint a clear picture. Barrow’s government is not fighting corruption, it is facilitating it. Instead of cleaning up government institutions, Barrow and his inner circle have benefited from the very corruption they claim to oppose. Key anti corruption agencies remain weak, underfunded, and politically compromised. Critical reports detailing financial misconduct are suppressed or ignored. Meanwhile, whistleblowers face threats and retaliation.
A Government of Empty Promises and Deception, Despite Barrow’s empty assurances, The Gambia continues to suffer from rampant corruption that bleeds public resources dry. Audit reports reveal:
Unexplained multi-million dalasi expenditures in key ministries.
Unauthorized withdrawals from public accounts without documentation.
Ghost employees inflating the civil service payroll.
Dubious contracts awarded to politically connected businesses.
Mismanagement of donor funds meant for development projects.
State owned enterprises losing millions without accountability.
Salaries paid to individuals who no longer hold public office.
Public contracts awarded without competitive bidding.
Fuel allowances and travel expenses abused across ministries.
Irregular land allocations benefiting Barrow’s political allies.
Public funds mysteriously transferred to private accounts.
The pattern is clear, Barrow’s administration has no intention of combating corruption. If anything, it has perfected the art of deception, giving lip service to anti corruption efforts while enabling those plundering the nation’s wealth.
Time for Action, Not Deceit. If Barrow were serious about fighting corruption, his administration would:
Fully empower the Anti-Corruption Commission with complete independence to investigate and prosecute corrupt officials,without political interference.
Publicly release all audit reports and ensure full transparency in government spending.
Immediately prosecute officials implicated in financial scandals, regardless of their political connections.
Establish a specialized anti-corruption court to fast track corruption cases and prevent political manipulation of justice.
Enact strict asset declaration laws to prevent public officials from amassing unexplained wealth.
End impunity for political allies and ensure no one is above the law.
Until these measures are taken, any claim by Barrow that he is fighting corruption is nothing but cover ups. His administration has shown time and again that it is incapable of cleaning up its own mess. The Gambian people must reject these deceitful tactics and demand real accountability. Barrow’s weak excuses will not stop the rot of corruption, but the people’s determination can.
Words alone will not restore public trust. Words alone cannot stop Corruption!! Only action will.
Video source: QTV Gambia
