By: Kebba AF Touray
The Finance and Public Accounts Committee of the National Assembly (FPAC) yesterday Thursday, 9 May 2024, considered and adopted the activity report and financial statements of the Janjangbureh Area Council with reservations.
The said Council previously submitted their reports to the Committee, but due to adverse opinion on the issues of missing vouchers, the Committee asked them to redo their reports.
During the engagement yesterday Thursday, members of the said Council re-appeared and submitted an un-audited report to the committee, as opposed to the audited financial report of the Council.
Based on the submission of the un-audited financial statement, consultation was made on the views of both the committee and audit officials.
Hon. Alhagie Mbow, a member of FPAC, said he does not think they should look at the un-audited financial statement of the Council because it was a nonstarter. He said they expected to receive in parliament, the audited financial statement and not what was brought before them.
“These are the building blocks for them to prepare financial statements and get it audited. We cannot deal with this kind of document, because there is no opinion on it from the auditors,” Hon. Mbow submitted. He said the Committee members are not auditors, and said reports must be sent to the auditors for review; that based on this, the auditors can form informed opinion from where, they can also take up.
“But the way it is, I donot think we should even deal with the document. It should be returned to them so that it can be audited on the specific period of time. We have given them enough time, almost two years now, and we cannot take a look at this one, because they are non-audited accounts,” he added.
Another FPAC member in the person of Hon. Kebba Toumani Sanneh, said the Committee cannot do their work as required adding that with the report, they cannot even come up with the necessary recommendations for the Council to live up to.
On her part, Hon. Fatou Cham, another member of FPAC, said what was required from the Council was the audited financial statements, and said the word ‘audited’ clarifies everything. She said this was just an explanation of what transpired in their office and that she does not think FPAC should work on the document.
The auditors in attendance of the session also shared similar views with members of FPAC and adopted the report with reservation.
Earlier, the Chairperson of FPAC, Hon. Alhagie S Darboe, said Janjangbureh Area Council submitted its activity report and financial statements for 2019 and 2020 with issues, and said this compelled them as a Committee to ask Council officials to put their house in order by redoing their work.
After consultations among FPAC members, the committee resolved to consider and adopt the reports of Janjnabureh Area Council with reservation, adding that when the Committee makes its recommendations, it will be based on the issues raised in the management letter of the Council, which they said was initially submitted to them.
