A ten-day deadline has been given for the AG to provide information or face investigation

Yesterday, the National Assembly passed a resolution ordering a number of people and organizations to restore money or provide details about a number of anomalies the auditor general noted in the 2019 report of government finances. The decision was based on the auditor general’s office’s findings, which exposed significant anomalies in the administration of public finances.

After conducting its investigation and consulting with all parties involved about the auditor’s report yesterday, FPAC informed the Assembly’s plenary of the situation and the decision made.

FPAC chairman Alagie S. Darboe delivered the 38-point resolution, starting by praising the auditor general’s hard work and the accountant general’s prompt replies to his committee.

Jammeh’s assets

the Janneh Commission’s treasury receipts totaling D22,319,957.92 and other information pertaining to the sale of the assets of former president Yahya Jammeh on or before September 28, failing which the Inspector General of Police must launch an investigation and report to FPAC within 90 days. The resolution ordered the accountant general to work with the minister of justice to provide the relevant documents to the auditor general and FPAC.

Virements

The resolution required the minister of finance to explain in writing to FPAC why 404 virements worth D2,687,362,341.40 were made in excess of the statutory 75 percent threshold in 10 days.

The resolution further stipulated that the MDAs give the FPAC a detailed list of all fraud cases involving various government agencies, in particular the offices of the accountant general, auditor general, inspector general of police, and judiciary, along with names, amounts, dates, and the current status of each case; in the absence of such a list, the IGP must immediately launch an investigation and provide a report to the FPAC within 90 days.

Unaccounted-for transactions

The resolution also said that the accountant general must reconcile any unreconciled government transactions included in the 2019 audited accounts by the end of the fiscal year in 2023 and submit a report to the FPAC; otherwise, the PS minister of finance must penalize the individuals in question.

Project to renovate State House

The FPAC must receive a written justification from the secretary general at the Office of the President and the PS at the ministry of works as to why the approval for a single-source procurement for the State House renovation work was requested after the work was finished, on or before September 28, 2023. It mandated that the IGP launch an investigation right away and submit a report to the FPAC within 90 days if the contracts committee and the SG Office of the President fail to reimburse the amount of D950, 000.00, which was a contingency amount that they were asked to remove from the contract with Gai Construction for the Rehabilitation of State House, by September 28, 2023.

Project to Drainage Roads and Sewage in Banjul

The resolution also stipulated that by no later than September 28th, the SG Office of the President and PS Ministry of Works must submit a written justification to the FPAC for selecting GAI Enterprise as the most qualified and suitable contractor to handle the project.

On or before September 28, the accountant general must submit to the auditors for examination all unpresented payment vouchers and accompanying documentation totaling D392, 091.67; in the event that this deadline is missed, the IGP will initiate an investigation right once and submit a report to the FPAC within 90 days.

Timber export

The resolution mandated that any agreements the PS ministry of the environment has with the Government of Senegal about all confiscated wood recovered on Gambian land and all payments received from the revenues be made available to the auditor general and FPAC on or before September 28, 2023.

Additionally, it demanded that the PS ministry of the environment provide the auditor general and FPAC permission to use the proceeds from the sale of the seized wood by no later than September 28, 2023.

Ministry of Finance

According to the resolution, the ministry of finance must, by September 28, 2023, give the auditors and FPAC a written justification for the purchase of 15 motor vehicles from brands that deviate from the terms of the contract. If it fails to do so, the IGP must immediately launch an investigation and provide a report to the FPAC within 90 days.

Commandeering of vehicles

The Chief of Staff and IGP were instructed by the resolution to take urgent action to put an end to the commandeering of NAO vehicles.

Fuel stations

The resolution mandated that the department of Physical Planning refrain from granting licenses for the development of gas stations before obtaining Pura’s consent.

NYSS

The National Youth Service Scheme’s position must be normalized by the end of October 2023, according to the resolution, and the FPAC must receive a report by November 15 of the same year.

GBoS

The IGP must launch an investigation right away and submit a report to the FPAC within 90 days if the DG of the Gambia Bureau of Statistics fails to ensure that some payment vouchers totaling D450,890.00 that were not presented for audit inspection are provided to the auditors by September 28, 2023, or else.

GCCPC

“That the director general GCCPC shall guarantee that the funds involved in a fraud case involving gasoline coupons fraudulently obtained by their workers are completely recovered on or by September 28, 2023, failing which the IGP shall initiate an inquiry for potential prosecution within 90 days.

Gambia College

On or before September 28, 2023, the Principal of The Gambia College must turn over to the auditors all missing vouchers totaling D21 million; if she fails to do so, the IGP must initiate an inquiry right once and provide a report to the FPAC within 90 days.

Area Councils

The Director of Finance at the Kuntaur Area Council must return the D198,548.00 claimed to have been used for monthly Lumo Set-Settal on or before September 28, 2023, failing which the IGP must launch an investigation right away and report to FPAC within 90 days. The Assembly Select Committee on Regional Government was also ordered to visit Brikama Area Council as soon as possible by the end of October 2023 to investigate the problems with the new BAC office building.

NRA

The writing-off of D19, 758, 493.90 by the National Roads Authority (NRA) for an advance they gave to COPRI has to be looked into right now by the Auditor General.

MoBSE

The ruling further stipulated that the PS at MoBSE must, by the end of September 2023, return the government for D30,451.00, which was paid under an expired contract.

vote controllers

With immediate effect, all Vote Controllers must return to the government any funds used for single source purchases that were not authorized before any purchases were made.