By Makutu Manneh
The National Assembly Public Enterprise Committee (PEC) Chairman, Halifa Sallah, has said that they are steadfast to end the public enterprises’ backlog in submission of financial statements and activity reports starting from the year ended 2015 before December 31st 2021.
“Before 31st December 2021, our committee is well positioned to put an end to the historic backlog in the submission of the activity report and financial statement stretching from the year ended 2015,” Sallah said.
Sallah, who is also the national assembly member for Serekunda, gave this statement on Monday 5th July, 2021 while giving an explanatory memorandum as the chairman.
PEC is responsible for gathering facts, making findings and recommendations on all matters relating to public enterprises. It is mandated to scrutinize, consider and advise on matters dealing with public enterprises as provided for by standing order 122.
Sallah said the committee has resolved since February 2021 to alert all public enterprises to put an end to the backlog in the submission of their financial statements by 31st March 2021.
He said without the timely submission of public enterprises’ financial statements, their taxes and profits that should increase annually to cushion revenue earnings of the government in order to meet expenditure outlays, could not be accurately determined.
The prominent politician said the development budget will not register expenditure by public enterprises to finance development projects for the government due to late submission of financial statements.
He said the committee is also working on a comprehensive report on the state of affairs of public enterprises entitled “Consolidated report of the public enterprises committee for the financial years ended: 31st December 2015-31st December 2019.”
Sallah also informed the speaker and deputies how the committee had held extraordinary meetings without compensation to ensure they put an end to the backlog. He said they are working on the comprehensive report that aims to be a template for consolidated reporting on the activities and financial statements of public enterprises that had been non -existent since Independence.
Speaking further, Sallah said that it will be followed by the report on the activities and financial statements of public enterprises for the year ended 31st December, 2020, which they are required to submit to the Committee by 31st March 2021.
PEC chairman said on claims of public enterprises that their statements for 2017 to 2019 are presented for audit without any conclusion of the exercise, “the committee members have facilitated and have been witnesses to the dialogue on the workplan between the respective public enterprises and the National Audit Office.”
The public enterprises under PEC are, GPA/GFS, SSHFC, GAMTEL/GAMCEL, GCAA, GIA, GRTS, NAWEC, AMRC, GNPC, GAMPOST, GPPC, GCC, PURA, NRA, GIEPA, NEA, GCCPC, GBOS, TGSB, ADRS, NALA, NAATIP. He said the Status of Gamworks is under review.
Read the full report. https://foroyaa.net/nams-yearn-for-basic-needs-in-their-constituencies/
