By Yankuba Jallow
The Minister of Finance and Economic Affairs, Mambury Njie has made promises that the financial expenditure and management of the COVID-19 Health Fund, as well as the procurement of the emergency food support initiative, will be thoroughly investigated by external auditors.
‘’In governance everything is procedural. There are people called Auditors and they will investigate the management of the finances and the procurement process,’’ the Finance Minister assured, stressing that the government can only act on official findings.
Minister Njie made the explanations on Wednesday during a press conference at the McCarthy Square in Banjul where the Vice President, who doubles as the head of the Cabinet Sub-committee on COVID-19, updated the public on the state of the ongoing emergency food distribution exercise across the country.
‘’They [auditors] have started work and we must wait for the outcome of the findings. We cannot rush to a conclusion or act on mere allegations of corruption. We can only act on the findings of the auditors; therefore, we have to wait on the audit findings.’’
The food support is for all people
The Minister also elucidated that all the people in the country, including foreign nationals who are found to be needy, are entitled to benefit from the government’s emergency food support. He added: “That was the instruction of the president, he said.
‘’As long as you are in the Gambia and in need, you are entitled to the food assistance because President Barrow considers all people in the Gambia, irrespective of nationality, as part of his care and family.’’
