Gambian President Adama Barrow has become the second African leader this week to pledge part of his salary to a worthwhile cause. At the home front President Barrow has set the pace for giving back to the poor and needy.
First it was South Africa’s billionaire President Cyril Ramaphosa who gave half of his salary to a fund in the name of Nelson Mandela, the country’s first black President. Then came a surprise announcement by President Barrow that he too had pledged 10% of his pay to the Gambia’s National Development Plan (NDP), the country’s blueprint aimed at developing every sector of Gambian life.
President Barrow’s announcement came shortly after he led a successful Gambia donor conference in Brussels, Belgium. The country that just emerged from more than two decades of dictatorship was able to raise €1.45 billion from multiple donors to bankroll the NDP.
President arrived home on Friday to a tumultuous welcome, with Gambians lining up the streets to have glimpse of their leader whose government has not only guaranteed democracy, human rights and the rule of law but also boo the verge of championing an aggressive national development agenda. Mr. Barrow could be seen on vehicle top returning cheers with cheers.
President Barrow’s pledge has once again demonstrated his seriousness in walking the talk as well as set good leadership example. He is unlikehis predecessor who ran the Gambia’s National coffees dry. Yahya Jammeh and his bandits were still stealing monies from Gambian taxpayers while in Equatorial Guinea.
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