By Tombong Saidy
It is very wrong for government officials to castigate The Voice newspaper for publishing the Afrobarometer survey. The Voice newspaper did not do anything wrong. Why punish the messenger? They should not have apologised. Or was the editor intimidated into apologising?
The Gambia Government’s vehement rejection of the Afrobarometer survey on corruption, calling it “erroneous”, “misleading”, and “propaganda”, is a missed opportunity. Rather than dismissing the report, the government should treat it as a critical diagnostic tool to fight corruption and rebuild public trust. Democracy thrives on accountability, and surveys like Afrobarometer’s provide the feedback necessary for course correction. Ignoring them only deepens the rift between the people and their leaders.
The latest Afrobarometer survey indicated there is a perception of staggering surge in corruption in The Gambia’s highest offices, particularly the Office of the President and the National Assembly. According to the report, public perception of corruption in the presidency has skyrocketed from 19% in 2018 to 49% in 2024, while the National Assembly’s corruption rating jumped from 15% to 46% in the same period. The Afrobarometer is an independent organisation and has no agenda against The Gambia and thus cannot be labelled as an opposition or biased organisation. The presidency’s rebuttal claims the report is “un-factual” and “skewed”, but its arguments reveal a deeper problem: a refusal to engage with the concerns of ordinary Gambians.
These damning figures confirm what the UDP and other concerned Gambians have long suspected, that corruption is pervasive under President Adama Barrow’s NPP kereng kafo (confederation of thieving squirrels) government.
The Afrobarometer findings align with numerous audit reports that have documented rampant financial irregularities under Barrow’s administration. Key scandals include but not limited to:
The 2020-2022 Auditor General’s Reports, which revealed missing billions in government funds, including D1.6 billion in unauthorised expenditures and D500 million in unaccounted Covid-19 funds;
The 2023 audit, which uncovered fraudulent contracts, inflated procurement costs, and ghost workers draining state resources;
The Gam-Petroleum scandal, where millions of dollars in oil revenues vanished without proper accounting.
Despite these revelations, no high-ranking officials have been prosecuted, reinforcing the culture of impunity.
Beyond audits, the Barrow NPP kereng kafo administration has been embroiled in multiple corruption allegations:
1. The Basse-Jarreng Road Scandal – A D1.2 billion contract awarded under questionable circumstances, with allegations of kickbacks.
2. The GNPC Financial Mismanagement – US$30 million in oil funds allegedly misused, with no transparency.
3. The NPP Campaign Financing Controversy – Reports of state resources being diverted for political campaigns.
President Barrow came to power in 2017 on a wave of hope, promising to end corruption and restore accountability after Yahya Jammeh’s dictatorship. Instead, his government has surpassed even Jammeh’s levels of graft, as evidenced by the Afrobarometer data.
The survey also highlights growing perception of corruption in:
The Police (up from 38% to 43%);
Local Government Councillors (up from 19% to 39%);
Civil Servants (up from 23% to 39%);
Only religious leaders showed a slight improvement, dropping from 11% to 10% — hardly a consolation for a nation drowning in corruption.
The evidence is overwhelming: The Gambia’s institutions are rotting from top to down. The opposition and civil society must intensify pressure for independent prosecutions, asset recoveries, and systemic reforms.
If Barrow’s government continues to shield the corrupt, Gambians must demand change — not just in elections, but through relentless advocacy for justice.
All these go to show that the Barrow NPP kereng kafo government has failed the Gambian people. Despite all the promises to fight corruption, nothing tangible has been done. On 21st December, 2023, The Gambia’s National Assembly passed the watered-down Anti-Corruption Act marking a turning point in the country’s collective pursuit to address public sector corruption; and implementation is at a snail’s pace. One of the most troubling aspects of the corruption crisis under Barrow is the apparent lack of political will to address it. Despite promising to fight corruption during his election campaign, Barrow has done little to fulfill this promise. Key anti-corruption institutions, such as the Anti-Corruption Commission, is yet to take off.
To move The Gambia forward, a UDP government will confront this crisis head-on. The leadership will demonstrate genuine leadership by prioritising the fight against corruption and taking concrete steps to restore transparency and accountability. The future of The Gambia depends on it. Without meaningful action, the country risks becoming a failed state, where corruption reigns supreme and the people are left to suffer the consequences. Under a UDP government, there will be no sacred cow.
The Gambia is the 96 least corrupt nation out of 180 countries, according to the 2024 Corruption Perceptions Index reported by Transparency International. Corruption Rank in The Gambia averaged 110.64 from 2003 until 2024, reaching an all time high of 158.00 in 2008 and a record low of 77.00 in 2011. source: Transparency International.
The Afrobarometer survey is not “propaganda”, it is the voice of the Gambian people. A government secure in its achievements would welcome such feedback to improve. Instead, the administration’s defensive posture suggests a troubling priority: protecting its image over serving its citizens.
The UDP stands ready to work with all stakeholders to combat corruption. But first, the government must stop denying the problem and start solving it.
Tombong Saidy, economist, former diplomat and business consultant is the administrative secretary for media and communication of the opposition United Democratic Party.
