By Kebba AF Touray
The Finance and Public Accounts Committee (FPAC) of the National Assembly has issued sweeping recommendations to multiple local government councils across the country, including the Kanifing Municipal Council (KMC), Banjul City Council (BCC), and several Area Councils, urging immediate recovery of arrears and accountability for various financial discrepancies.
In its latest report on the 2020 audited accounts of the Government, Area Councils and other public entities, the committee has directed councils to take action on irregularities and submit evidence of compliance within strict deadlines or face sanctions.
Kanifing Municipal Council (KMC)
FPAC has recommended that KMC institute a mechanism to recover a staggering D242,450,956.97 in arrears for the year 2020. In addition, the council is required to recover D253,404,553.58 for the year 2021, and report back to the committee within 90 days.
The committee further directed the council to present Gambia Tax Receipts (GTRs) amounting to D186,650.00 to the committee within 30 days.
FPAC also called for the presentation of all official investigative reports on alleged fraudulent cases, including the D12 million used for the purchase of land and the alleged solicitation and receipt of a D30,000 bribe, to be submitted to the committee within 30 days.
On KMC’s public statement titled “Clarification on Alkamba Times publication,” FPAC found the council’s statement misleading. The committee demanded:
“The KMC management retracts the misleading publication within 7 days and apologize to the Assembly, failure of which sanction will be instituted in accordance with section 110 of the 1997 Constitution.”
Banjul City Council (BCC)
For BCC, the committee resolved that the council must provide the source of printing of unconfirmed GTRs with serial numbers 80610012806550 and the number of receipt books involved, for verification within 30 days, failing which sanctions will follow.
The council is also required to provide supporting documentation related to a D200,000 payment made in respect of COVID-19 emergency support to FPAC within 30 days. Failure to comply will attract sanctions, according to the report.
Kerewan Area Council (KAC)
Regarding the Kerewan Area Council, FPAC resolved that management must ensure recovery of an understatement amounting to D97,000 from the officer concerned, and submit a status report within 30 days.
Additionally, the Finance Director is required to refund within 14 days the value of all fuel issued to him for use in KAC 3 and KAC 6 during 2020 and 2021. All receipts of payment must be presented to FPAC for review.
Kuntaur Area Council (KTRAC)
FPAC directed that KTRAC must ensure audit reports are responded to and recommendations implemented on time. The committee further instructed:
“Management ensure that all payments with incomplete documentations, as stipulated in the audit report, are regularized and presented to the FPAC for verification within 30 days.”
Mansa Konko Area Council (MKAC)
The committee also addressed Mansa Konko Area Council, recommending that the council’s management prepare control accounts for both debtors and creditors, as well as monthly abstracts for relevant revenue heads in compliance with the financial manual.
These resolutions form part of FPAC’s broader efforts to enforce transparency and accountability in the management of public funds at the local government level. The committee warned that failure to comply with the directives within the stipulated timelines would lead to sanctions as provided by law.
