Senegal’s PM Ousmane Sonko accuses ex-government of corruption and financial mismanagement: Video
Senegal's Prime Minister Ousmane Sonko has accused the previous administration of widespread corruption and financial mismanagement, stating that the regime of former President Macky Sall misled the nation with manipulated economic and budgetary figures.
"President Macky Sall's regime lied to the people, lied to its partners, fiddled with the figures to give an economic, financial and budgetary picture that had nothing to do with reality," Sonko said on Thursday, following a review of the nation's finances.
Sonko, who came to power in March alongside President Bassirou Diomaye Faye, emphasised that while they suspected issues within the country's finances, the true extent of the damage was far worse than anticipated.
The new government, which ran on promises of social justice, sovereignty, and Pan-Africanism, faces the challenge of tackling a struggling economy marked by high unemployment and rising living costs.
Sonko warned that Senegalese citizens would need to make "extremely significant efforts" in the coming years to stabilise the economy, with the Minister of the Economy outlining key areas of reform, including taxation, AFP reports.
Sonko further intimated that his government has vowed to thoroughly investigate the alleged corruption and take action to restore fiscal responsibility in Senegal.
