By Adama Makasuba
Amid mounting concerns, on July 8, Lawyer Ousainou Darboe, leader of the opposition United Democratic Party, urgently called on the government to launch an investigation into the First Lady Fatou Bah-Barrow Foundation. The Foundation faces scrutiny over allegations of purchasing a container of medical equipment donated to the country.
The FaBB has become entangled in a corruption scandal following a report by The Republic, stating that the Foundation acquired medical equipment through an auction held by the Customs Department of the Gambia Revenue Authority for D200,000. The Foundation has denied any wrongdoing. However, addressing his party members at a rally in Brikama, Lawyer Ousainou Darboe stated that he read an article that mentioned that a foundation donated medical equipment to the country. Still, they claimed that the Foundation didn’t pay duty and reportedly sold the equipment to the FaBB foundation.
Lawyer Darboe further alleged that the Foundation obtained the equipment despite not paying duty. He contended that the government should have levied charges and allocated the funds to hospitals. Instead, the equipment was purportedly sold to the FaBB Foundation, a move he described as a grave betrayal of the Gambian people and a clear sign of the government’s involvement in corruption.
Darboe is urging the President to promptly establish an anti-corruption commission. Once formed, the commission’s focus should be to investigate the alleged sale of drugs to Fatou-Bah Barrow’s Foundation. He underscores the pressing need for immediate action to hold those involved accountable, after years of attempts to pass the anti-corruption bill in the national assembly.
