“Their findings will be made public, and my government will enforce their recommendations to address the shortcomings discovered and hold accountable any individual or entity found culpable,” Mr. Barrow said in an address to the nation yesterday,
“Within the arrangements of our constitutional framework, I have always prioritised acting in collaboration with the National Assembly and the National Audit Office, both of which are already conducting inquiries into the matter.”
“Let me assure every Gambian that the assets recovered belong to the people. My administration will not tolerate negligence, or any wrongdoing linked to safeguarding our nation’s resources.”
He assured his government’s resolve to transparency, saying: “We are committed to full transparency in whatever we undertake on behalf of the people, and I pledge that lessons learnt from this incident will be used to fortify our institutions and systems against future lapses.”
“Until we receive the report on the ongoing investigations, I urge you all to remain calm, law-abiding, and reassured that this matter will be handled within the ambit of the Law.”
He acknowledged that recent revelations regarding the disposal of the forfeited assets tied to the former President, Yahya Jammeh and his associates, have generated national concern with reason.
“As President of the Republic, I am delivering this public address with sincerity and resolve to allay your fears and clear any misunderstanding on the sale of the assets in question.”
“You may recall that the Janneh Commission of Inquiry, established under my administration, concluded its work in March 2019.”
“Its findings formed the basis of a Government White Paper published in September 2019, which I endorsed to ensure transparency and accountability.
In May 2019, acting on the Justice Ministry’s recommendation, I authorised a Ministerial Taskforce to oversee the lawful and transparent disposal of the said assets. The Taskforce has since been reporting regularly to Cabinet.”
“Disclosures by the Ministry of Justice confirm, however, that certain transactions, which include the sale of livestock, tractors, vehicles, and other valuables, were conducted during the active proceedings of the Commission.”
“Upon learning the details of those sales, some for the first time, I convened an urgent Cabinet meeting on Tuesday, 13th May 2025 to address the matter. My initial reaction would have been to establish an independent investigative panel to get to the bottom of every aspect of the sales.”
