THE PRESIDENT OF THE GAMBIA PURPORTEDLY FORBIDS GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS FROM TRAVELING ABROAD.OSUOFIA

Tunji Wusu –

Adama Barrow, the president of the Gambia, has halted all official travel abroad, including his own, a government spokeswoman declared on August 19, 2023.

According to AFP, Barrow issued an executive order that, for the remainder of the fiscal year, “suspends all overseas travel by the president, the V.P., cabinet ministers, senior government officials, civil servants & employees across all government institutions & agencies.”

Meetings where Gambian participation is required and international travel that is wholly funded by outside sources are exempt.

The Gambia, the smallest nation in continental Africa with just over 2 million people, is ranked 174th out of 191 countries in the UN’s Human Development Index, which takes into account factors including standard of living, health, and education.

According to the World Bank, more than a fifth of the population makes less than two dollars each day.