The government will look into the circumstances surrounding the leak of a letter that requested payment for security and other officials who accompanied President Barrow’s mother to Senegal for a medical checkup.
A document was leaked on social media, leading to criticism from the main opposition, the United Democratic Party, which condemned it as a misuse of public funds. They argued that the president’s mother does not qualify as a family member eligible for state funding.
In response to this development on West Coast Radio’s Coffee Time yesterday, Chief of Staff Mod K Ceesay stated that the matter would be investigated, as the leaking of the document is an act that deserves condemnation. “The letter is classified and should not have been handled in that manner.” “My office will look into this,” he stated.
Upon request for clarification, Mr. Ceesay disclosed that the expenses are valid, as they pertain to per diems for security personnel, drivers, and other aides accompanying the elderly woman.
“Her medical bills will not require any payment, as they are being handled directly by the president himself.” Of the D3.6 million quoted, only approximately D1.4 million was utilised for this specific trip. “The matter of illegal expenses is not a concern in this case,” he stated. In response to UDP’s claim that the expenditure is insensitive, Mr. Ceesay stated that the opposition is leveraging this issue to divert attention from the continuous revelations emerging from the Local Government Commission of Enquiry, asserting that they cannot deceive the public. “It is quite regrettable that the private health issue of a 90-year-old is being exposed in such a public manner,” he stated.
