By: Kebba AF Touray
The Gambia Agency for The Management of Public Works (GAMWORKS), has presented its annual report and financial statement for the period 2018 to 2020, before board members of the said agency yesterday Tuesday, 13th December 2022, during its 14th Annual General Meeting held at their Headquarters in Fajara.
According to the authorities, GAMWORKS has successfully implemented over D443 million worth of contracts entirely implemented by the agency or through delegated contractors between the period 2018 to 2020.
Mr. John Charles Njie, the Chairperson of the Association of Non-Governmental Organization (TANGO) on behalf Chairperson of GAMWORKS Board of Directors, said the agancy’s management has been successful in bringing in new projects and contracts into the agency, such as the Gambia Pilot Program, and said it was gratifying to note that the Gambia Government and the public sector, continue to manifest confidence in the agency.
On major developments, Chairperson Njie reported that the Gambia Pilot Program came during the review period, and was funded with a EUR 10 million grant from Financial Cooperation body of the German Government’s KfW, through the regional stabilization fund for ECOWAS member countries.
The agency he said has put in place appropriate health safety measures during the COVID-19 pandemic, to ensure that they were open for business, and said the most impactful event during the period under review, was prolonged through COVID-19 pandemic.
“The Board takes its oversight function very seriously and steadfastly discharges the responsibilities of the directors, as set out in the agency’s memorandum and articles of association of GAMWORKS,” chairperson Njie said, and that he was pleased to report that impressive results were registered for the period under review in terms of board governance and performance of its oversight functions, and management’s achievements in delivering successfully completed projects and delegated contracts to the satisfaction of their clients and beneficiaries.
Omar Gaye, the Director of GAMWORKS told members that the main activity of the agency is to implement development projects, especially in the areas of infrastructure. This activity he said are in two intervention modes, namely the entire implementation of projects by the agency and the delegated management contract to implement components of projects, in the areas of civil works and infrastructure. He reported that the projects implemented by the agency during the review period include enhancing value addition in GGC’s groundnut project to the tune of US$35.54 million, to enhance the operations of the Corporation; D209 Million contracts of the Government of the Gambia for the construction of five new health centers; and a total of D135 million project for the reconstruction of Basse and Brikama Markets.
He added that the delegated management contracts that were implemented by the agency include but was not limited to a D52.8 million contract for the construction of the national records center and archives at the Institutional Layout in Kanifing; D26.4 million project for the construction of police stations in URR; Government’s D22.054 million GRA contract for the construction of a multi-storey building at the old customs yard; D33 million government project for the construction of the Bundung Court Complex, and D6.12 million UNDP contract for dormitories at the youth remand wing at the Jeshwang prisons.
“Delay and non-receipt of Gambia Government counterpart funding contributions to some of our projects continue to be an issue, and there has always been delay in the payment of our invoices for DMCs. Delay in receipt of counterpart funding or late payment of invoices retarded project implementation and increased costs,” he highlighted.
Penda Sankaraeh, an independent auditor at DT Associates auditing firm, informed the convergence that the activity reports and financial statements of GAMWORKS, for the period under review was audited by them. She reported that the reports present true and fair views of the financial position of the company, its financial performance and cash flows for the review period, in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles, and in accordance with Companies Act 2013.
