By: Kebba AF Touray
The Finance and Public Accounts Committee (FPAC) of the National Assembly, Thursday 22nd February 2024, considered and adopted the 2019 activity reports and financial statements of the Basse Area Council.
The consideration and adoption came on the heels of an intensive scrutiny on the council’s said reports by the committee.
During the process, the committee engaged the Management of the council on queries such as the absence of procurement plan for the past years, no existing disposal committee, non-compliance with the pre-qualification of suppliers among others.
On establishment of a disposal committee to carry out disposal of obsolete materials, as outlined in sections 60,61,62, and 63 of the GPPA (Amendment) Act of 201, as well as the Gambia Public Procurement Regulation (GPPR) section 125.
on threshold matrix, the GPPA observed that section 24 of the GPPA amended act 2018, is dealing with award of public contracts to suppliers who are duly registered with the GPA.
The GPPA reported they have observed that some of the suppliers were awarded contracts when they did not renew their registration with the authority.
“We recommended that public contracts are awarded to suppliers who are duly registered with the GPPA”, GPPA recommended.
On non-compliance with pre-qualification, the GPPA reported that it has observed that the council’s Procurement Officer (PO) did not carry out prequalification procedure to determine an approved list of registered suppliers as required by section 23 of the GPPA Act.
Instead, the GPPA said the PO relies on the eligibility list of the GPPA to invite quotations or single source procurements.
“The PO should prequalify suppliers as required by section 23 of the GPPA Act to assist in arriving at the list of registered or approved suppliers from whom to solicit quotations”, GPPA recommended.
On the lack of annual procurement plan for the BSAC, the management told FPAC that they are at an advanced stage of the preparation and that they will submit the plan to the Gambia Public Procurement Authority.
Management replied that currently there is no contract, but they have noted this section as stipulated in the GPPA and henceforth they will be using it as their tool in award of public contracts to suppliers, to ensure that those suppliers who are duly registered with the GPPA are awarded public contracts.
Replying to the query on disposal committee, the management said the committee is currently not in existence at the council and assured that once they go back, they will establish the disposal committee.
The management also stated that they also have a budget line for the training of their staff, and as such they will conduct training for their procurement staff to building their capacities to familiarize themselves with the procurement laws so as to improve their procurement compliance.
On prequalification, the management replied that they have noted the observation of the GPPA and informed the committee that those processes are already put in place at the council by the new administration.
On specification, the GPPA observed that the council did not develop specifications for the procurement of motorcycle for a revenue collector amounting to D170,000.
As explained by GPPA, this is not in accordance with Public Procurement (Amendment) Act 2018 under section 25 (1) (2) (3) (4).
Management replied “For specification since we assumed office we have not purchased any vehicle, but we know that before the purchase any fix assets such as motor-cycle there shall be specification. It is noted and henceforth, any such procurement will be specified by 2024”.
As reported by the GPPA, BSAC was found to be 60 percent compliant which denotes partially complaint with procurement and its regulation from 2018-2020 fiscal year period.
BSAC Management said “The recommendations are noted and we will conduct trainings for our procurement officers, and that these anomalies reported by the GPPA will be things of the past”.
The Chairperson of FPAC, Hon. Alhagie S Darboe informed the management of BSAC that after their consideration, the committee will prepare a report and table it before the plenary for the consideration and adoption by the committee of the whole house of the legislature.
He however, challenged the Management to improve on its compliance with GPPA with respect to procurement, stating that the compliance percentage of 60 percent is very low, which the management ought to work on for improvement in their future procurement transactions.
