By Omar Bah
A majority of Gambians say they do not trust the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) to fight graft, according to the latest nationwide survey by the Centre for Policy, Research and Strategic Studies (CepRass).
The finding conducted last year and published last week revealed that public trust in the Anti-Corruption Commission is limited and fragmented. According to the poll, nationally, only 8% of respondents, report trusting the Commission a lot, while 14% trust it somewhat, giving a combined positive trust level of approximately 22%.
By contrast, 21% trust it only a little, and 30% trust it not at all, for a total of over 50% expressing low or no trust.
Additionally, about a quarter significant 27% indicate that they do not know, highlighting substantial uncertainty about the institution.
On the areas of trust in the Anti-Corruption Commission to investigate corruption, the finding revealed that gender patterns show similar levels of trust, though women are more uncertain.
“Both men and women report 8% high trust, but women are more likely to indicate “don’t know” (32%) compared to men (22%). This suggests that awareness or engagement with the Commission may be uneven across gender groups.”
When it comes to regional differences, Basse and Kuntaur show relatively high levels of trust, with
38% and 37% expressing at least some trust, respectively.
In contrast, Brikama and Kanifing show lower levels of trust, with over 35% indicating no trust at all. Kerewan stands out for high uncertainty, with 56% of respondents stating they do not know, indicating limited visibility of the Commission in that region.
Overall, the findings suggest that while the Anti-Corruption Commission exists as an institution, it has not yet gained widespread trust or visibility among the population.
ACC nominees
According to the poll, public opinion regarding the current nominees of the Anti-Corruption Commission is characterised by high uncertainty.
“Nationally, only 3% of respondents are very satisfied, and 12% are satisfied, giving a combined satisfaction level of about 15%. Meanwhile, 15% are dissatisfied and 7% very dissatisfied, totalling approximately 22% dissatisfaction. However, the most striking finding is that 63% of respondents indicate they have no idea about the nominees.”
Overall, the findings suggest that while the Anti-Corruption Commission exists as an institution, it has not yet gained widespread trust or visibility among the population.
