President Adama Barrow has received the official report of the Commission of Inquiry into Local Government Councils and related matters, as part of a major push to address long-standing weaknesses in the country’s decentralized governance system.
Speaking at the State House, President Barrow said the inquiry was launched to strengthen institutions and ensure that public servants manage resources lawfully and in the best interests of citizens. He emphasized that decentralization must be matched with strong accountability to fix systemic problems, reduce waste, and create councils that are transparent, efficient, and truly serve the people.
The Commission was set up in early 2023 following growing public concerns about financial mismanagement, weak procurement practices, and poor governance in the eight area councils. After the authoritarian rule of former President Yahya Jammeh, The Gambia has been working to deepen democracy through decentralization. However, many councils have struggled with revenue collection, land administration, staffing issues, and accountability, prompting the need for an independent probe.
Chaired by prominent lawyer Jainaba Bah, the Commission operated for nearly three years — far beyond its initial timeline — and conducted a sweeping review of financial, administrative, procurement, revenue, land, staffing, and overall governance practices across local councils and related bodies.
The Commission heard testimony from 387 witnesses, including oversight institutions, current and former council officials, revenue collectors, contractors, and other key actors. Chairperson Jainaba Bah told the President that the main problem uncovered was not a lack of rules, but the widespread culture of ignoring them. “When procedures become optional, public resources become vulnerable,” she warned. “When documentation fails, accountability disappears.”
The report is being presented as both a record of what has gone wrong and a clear roadmap for reform. Commissioners stressed that its success will depend entirely on how seriously the government and institutions implement its recommendations.
President Barrow praised the commissioners for their thorough work and thanked all witnesses who came forward. He pledged that his government will carefully study the findings and take responsible action to address the weaknesses identified, rebuild public trust, and ensure local councils deliver better services to ordinary Gambians.
The handover is seen as an important milestone in post-2017 governance reforms aimed at making local authorities more effective ahead of future local elections.
