By Kebba AF Touray
The Gambia lawmakers have on Monday 2nd December 2024, debated whether the budget for the President’s nationwide meet the people’s tour should be increased from D30 million this year (2024) to D50 million next year (2025). Eventually they agreed to a budget of D45 million dalasi for 2025.
The NAMs had commenced the consideration of the 2025 estimates and during the consideration, the first budget line that was dealt with , was the President’s Office, precisely the budget line for the meet the peoples’ tour.
An amount of D30 Million was approved for the tour in 2024, but in the 2025 estimates, it is seeking an increment to D50 million.
During the consideration, Member for Sami, Hon. Alfusainey Ceesay, proposed that the budget line for the Presidential visit to the provinces, under the office of the President be maintained at D30 Million as in 2024, as opposed to the D50 Million in the draft budget for 2025.
He argued that “resources are not enough. I think we have used the resources that we have. So, my suggestion is let’s maintain D30 million as in 2024, and that is my concern”.
Countering the justification, the Member for Nianija, Hon. Amadou Camara, countered “The justification does not hold water, because I witnessed the President’s visit, wherein the President was supposed to go to Chamen, but chose not to go”.
For Hon. Camara said what is budgeted for the tour which is D50 million is sufficient.
Hon. Alhagie S Darboe, FPAC Chairperson, said that their committee debated intensively on the matter.
He said they approved D10 million in 2022 when the actual was D25 million.
He said 2023 the actual was D61 million when the approved was D10 million.
He added that last year, this was intensively debated but they could not resolve it until it had to be put to vote and instead of D10 million it was D30million on condition, “and this time around, we are going to make sure they spend what has been allocated,” he asserted.
He said that they realised that that cannot be met, adding that when funds are approved, legally, there is room for virement when funds are needed.
He explained: “This we have no control and this is our challenge. We emphasized to the Ministry of Finance to try as much as possible to limit virement”.
He said that they know that it is a constitutional requirement, but “sometimes the way virements are made is a concern to the Members of the National Assembly”.
He said that as a committee, their measure is to control and discourage virement, and he proposed that they reduce it to D45 million, and compel the Ministry, that come next year they should try and downsize the delegation, to reduce the cost.
Majority Leader, Billay G Tunkara, advised that the Assembly desist from making allocation that will require the government to vire, as the tour is a constitutional requirement for the President to have an interface with the electorates.
“To make a compromise, we can settle for D45 million and make headways,” he said.
Subsequently, the Assembly resolved to reduce the budgetted D50 million for the President’s tour in 2025 to D45 million.
