The full text of the release reads below:
It is an open secret that the Gambia government spends huge amounts of money on vehicles for the presidency and executive, while several public institutions lack the sufficient cars to execute their functions well.
Every Gambian minister is allocated with two vehicles - one for official use and the other for family matters (utility car), but other government officials with the most difficult tasks, such as permanent secretaries and directors, are allocated one each. We have observed that the Presidency, executive and the judiciary are given very expensive vehicles for official matters.
Every Gambian minister is driving a vehicle worth eight to ten million dalasi. This policy is not in the context of the Gambian economy.
The Gambia is a poor country, and therefore there is no justification for spending several millions on vehicles for top government officials, while several public institutions lack sufficient vehicles to execute their functions well. We should cut our cloth according to our size.
The country is poor, and we should not purchase expensive vehicles that even the developed countries would not buy for their presidents and prime ministers. This is a waste of resources.
Nonetheless, a government under the Change Front will no doubt come with radical measures to reduce expenditure at the presidency and executive, most especially on vehicles. Our government would make sure every minister is entitled to only an official vehicle.
No government official including the President under a CF leadership will be given an official vehicle worth more than two millions dalasi (D2 million). Cost of all government vehicles would be from two millions dalasi and below.
Ministers’ utility cars
A Change Front Political Movement’s government will eliminate the current ministers’ utility car policy. In our government no cabinet minister or minister’s family will be given a utility car.
The moment we take power all vehicles given to ministers’ families would be confiscated and given to public institutions that lack adequate vehicles.
A CF government would sell all expensive vehicles given to top government officials and replace them with cheaper ones.
The saved resources would be used for implementation of government projects to enhance social development.
