By Makutu Manneh
Bai Gibbi Sallah, former Finance Director of Mansakonko Area Council while testifying before the Local Government Commission of Inquiry, alleged that all area councils in the country operate illegal budgets.
He said this is because the Ministry of Local Government does not approve the budgets.
“I cannot remember when we submitted our budget and it was approved. During my time, there has never been a time when we have a budget that is signed by the Permanent Secretary and the Director of Governance,” Sallah informed the commission.
Sallah went on to say that the council and the Ministry do not usually approve the budgets, which has been the problem of councils.
He made this comment when he was informed of the auditors’ report indicating that the annual approved budget was not submitted to them for audit purposes.
He said the Ministry is not supportive and there are several delays in the budgeting process, adding that the budget process starts from September and ends in December.
Sallah said for 2024, the budget for the year is still not done because they do not have a bilateral with the Ministry yet, since the Ministry has to review their submitted budget and then give them a final copy.
He believes that the Ministry should be supportive to the councils to ensure that they have the bilateral engagements on time.
At this point, Chairperson Jainaba Bah told the witness that section 35 of the Local Government Finance and Audit Act provides that the financial statement of the councils be submitted to the Minister responsible for local government before the 1st of June of each year.
She added that the same law requires the Councils to publish their financial statements and the audit reports of their offices.
Chairperson Bah dismissed Sallah’s claim that the timeline given for Councils budgeting should be between September and December of each year.
Vice Chairperson Samba Faal also informed the witness that the approving authority is the General Council and not the Ministry. He explained that once the budget has been cleared at the bilateral level, it is the responsibility of the Finance Director to bring the budget to the General Council for approval.
Sallah provides a document which was a memo to the commission on the budgeting process informing all Head of Departments to submit their anticipated expenditures for the following year.
He stated that this is the document they send to HoDs and councilors to send their budget for the next year so that they can incorporate them in the draft council’s budget.
However, the Counsel and the Commissioners examined the document and discovered certain inconsistencies in the document.
They noted that the document was not signed and it has inconsistencies in the dates. The letter was dated 26August, 2021 and it was requesting them to submit their planned expenditures on 3rd August, 2021. The memo was admitted in evidence by the Commission.
