By Kebba AF Touray
After months of investigation and delayed proceedings, a joint parliamentary committee is set to present its findings on a high-profile petroleum scandal involving more than $30 million in oil imports — a case that has sparked concerns over tax evasion, accountability, and regulatory oversight in the country’s energy sector.
The Joint Committee on Finance and Public Accounts (FPAC) and the Public Enterprises Committee (PEC) will table its report before the National Assembly on Thursday, June 26, 2025, according to the approved agenda of the Assembly’s Second Ordinary Session. The inquiry centers on the mysterious arrival and disposal of 36,953.614 metric tons of petroleum products — valued at approximately $30 million, or more than 2.16 billion dalasis.
The co-chairs of the joint committee, Hon. Lamin J. Sanneh and Hon. Alhagie S. Darboe — both lawmakers from Brikama South and North constituencies, respectively — are expected to lead the presentation of the long-awaited report. The two parliamentarians head the PEC and FPAC committees that jointly undertook the investigation following a motion passed during a previous session.
Initially scheduled for presentation during the First Ordinary Session in March, the report was postponed after the committee requested an extension. Lawmakers approved the delay, citing the need for a more comprehensive probe to uncover critical facts and gather robust evidence.
“The extension enabled the joint committee to engage additional witnesses and institutions,” the Office of the Clerk stated in a public notice confirming the June 26 tabling. Among the key entities summoned were the management of Gam Petroleum and officials from the Financial Intelligence Unit (FIU) of the Central Bank, both central to the movement and valuation of the petroleum cargo.
The inquiry was triggered by a parliamentary question posed in 2023 by Hon. Samba Jallow of Niamina Dankunku to the Minister of Energy, Nani Juwara. Hon. Jallow demanded clarity on the destination, storage, and sale of the petroleum consignment after it reportedly landed at Gambian shores under unclear circumstances.
In response, Minister Juwara admitted to the Assembly that the 36,953.614 metric tons of petroleum had indeed been discharged at the Gam Petroleum depot. But concerns remained over how the product was accounted for and whether taxes and duties were appropriately applied. The situation prompted Hon. Sainey Jawara of Lower Saloum to table a motion for a full-scale investigation by the National Assembly.
Lawmakers are now expected to debate the findings and recommendations of the report once it is tabled. Sources within the Assembly say the report includes strong recommendations for accountability and possible prosecution of individuals found to have committed wrongdoing, including suspected tax evasion.
The debate will give lawmakers an opportunity to amend or reinforce the committee’s conclusions and determine the appropriate response to what many are calling a major test of parliamentary oversight and institutional integrity in The Gambia’s management of public resources.
