The Gambia Ports Authority (GPA) scandal, involving D300 million of missing public funds, is one of the most egregious cases of corruption under President Adama Barrow’s administration. While audit reports confirm the theft, no one has been prosecuted, and the stolen money—which could have transformed lives—remains unaccounted for.
Meanwhile, ordinary Gambians struggle with soaring bread prices (D12/loaf), crumbling infrastructure, and unemployment. This scandal is not just about stolen millions—it’s about how corruption starves a nation while a handful of elites grow richer.
This article examines:
- How D300 million vanished from the GPA—Audit findings and government inaction.
- What D300 million could have done—Transforming Serekunda Market and saving lives.
- How corruption affects every Gambian—From market traders to unemployed youth.
1. The D300 Million Heist: How It Happened
A. Audit Exposes the Theft
- A 2024 Auditor General’s report revealed D300 million disappeared from GPA accounts, with no proper documentation.
- Funds were siphoned through fake contracts, inflated invoices, and ghost workers—a scheme similar to the COVID-19 fund theft under Barrow’s watch.
- Despite the damning report, no arrests have been made, and the case has been stalled at the Attorney General’s office.
B. Government’s Shocking Response
- President Barrow dismissed the Auditor General’s findings as “just an opinion”, undermining accountability.
- The Anti-Corruption Commission, promised since 2017, remains non-functional, allowing thieves to act with impunity.
C. A Pattern of Corruption
- The GPA scandal mirrors other thefts under Barrow:
- $30 million oil scandal (Apogee FZC, Creed Energy).
- Missing COVID-19 funds (only $3 million of $10 million was properly spent).
- Each time, officials escape punishment, reinforcing a culture of “steal and go free”.
2. What D300 Million Could Have Done for Gambians
A. Transforming Serekunda Market
- D300 million could have:
- Rebuilt Serekunda Market—The largest in Gambia, currently flood-prone, overcrowded, and unsafe.
- Installed proper drainage to prevent annual flooding that destroys traders’ goods.
- Built storage facilities to reduce post-harvest losses for farmers and vendors.
- Provided low-interest loans to thousands of market women struggling to survive.
Instead, traders lose millions yearly due to poor infrastructure, while corrupt officials pocket public funds.
B. Saving Lives with Better Healthcare
- D300 million could have:
- Fully equipped Serekunda Health Center, which currently lacks basic medicines and beds.
- Built a neonatal ward to reduce infant mortality rates.
- Trained and hired 200 nurses, addressing the critical shortage in public hospitals.
Instead, Gambians die from treatable illnesses because funds meant for healthcare are stolen.
C. Creating Jobs for Unemployed Youth
- D300 million could have:
- Funded vocational training centers for 5,000 youths in plumbing, carpentry, and IT.
- Launched a national apprenticeship program, pairing graduates with local businesses.
- Supported agribusiness startups, reducing reliance on imported rice.
Instead, 37.4% of Gambian youth are jobless, forcing many to risk the deadly “Backway” migration.
3. How Corruption Affects Every Gambian
A. Rising Prices, Empty Stomachs
- Bread prices doubled (D12/loaf)—while GPA officials stole funds meant for port upgrades that could lower import costs.
- Rice prices tripled (D2,400/bag)—because corruption inflates food import taxes.
B. Crumbling Infrastructure
- Farafenni Hospital’s scanner sat unused for months—no technician was hired.
- NAWEC power cuts last 18+ hours daily—while millions meant for grid repairs vanish.
C. A Lost Generation
- Graduates resort to street hawking—because jobs are reserved for connected elites.
- Sports betting and drug abuse rise as youths lose hope in a system rigged against them.
Conclusion: A Call to Action
The D300 million GPA scandal is not just a number—it’s stolen futures, lost lives, and a broken nation. While Barrow’s allies loot, Gambians starve, suffer, and die from preventable crises.
GALA’s Demands:
✔ Prosecute all GPA thieves and recover stolen funds.
✔ Audit all public institutions—GPA, NAWEC, Health Ministry.
✔ Invest stolen money into Serekunda Market, hospitals, and youth jobs.
As one protester declared:
“If our leaders won’t stop stealing, we’ll stop them ourselves.”
Share this article—silence is complicity.
