By Makutu Manneh
Ousainu Darboe, leader and presidential candidate of the United Democratic Party (UDP), is calling for a reduction in President Adama Barrow’s salary, questioning the rationale behind the president’s current monthly pay of D500,000.
“Does the president work more than a permanent secretary?” Darboe asked during a recent interview. “All the work is done by permanent secretaries.”
With a brief laugh, he added that President Barrow “does not give any directives,” noting that his remarks were specific to the current administration. Darboe argued that the president bears no personal expenses because the state covers all costs associated with the office. “There is nothing that is an expense on him, yet he earns D500,000,” he said.
Darboe contended that serving as president should be viewed as a privilege rather than an opportunity for personal enrichment. He dismissed claims by some National Assembly Members that increasing the president’s salary helps curb corruption. Corruption, he argued, “is an attitude, and one will not be corrupt if it is not part of them.”
Recalling his long-standing criticism of former President Yahya Jammeh’s remuneration practices, Darboe insisted he would not repeat what he once condemned. “My conscience would not allow me to do that,” he said.
Darboe emphasized that his party is not in politics for personal gain. “If it were about making money,” he said, “I would have focused on my private practice and quietly made my money.”