By Kebba AF Touray
A recent report by the Finance and Public Accounts Committee (FPAC) has revealed alarming financial irregularities in the Gambian government’s 2020 audited accounts, highlighting unauthorised virements totalling over Three Hundred and Fifty-Six Million Dalasi (D356,000,000.00). The disclosures, presented on Thursday, July 3, 2025, by FPAC Chairperson Hon. Alhagie S. Darboe, underscored significant breaches of financial regulations and failures in oversight at the Ministry of Finance and Economic Affairs (MoFEA). Virement refers to the administrative transfer of funds from one part of a budget to another. It is regulated by law. It is a way to reallocate resources within a budget to address changing needs or priorities.
According to the report, twenty virements amounting to D79,058,793 were executed for the creation of new posts across various sectors without adherence to Financial Regulations, which expressly prohibit such manoeuvres without proper budget approval. Hon. Darboe stressed that these actions violate the Public Finance Act of 2014 and represent an abuse of government resources.
Adding to the concerns, auditors discovered that virements totalling D31,017,356 were transferred across budget entities without any prior or subsequent notification to the affected Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs). This lack of communication flagrantly contravenes established legal and procedural requirements, highlighting a systemic failure within MoFEA to follow transparent processes.
Perhaps most troubling was the finding that virements amounting to D246,223,158 were made without documented approval by the Minister of Finance, as mandated by the Financial Regulations. “There was no evidence to suggest these transfers had ministerial sanction before execution,” Darboe informed the Assembly, raising serious questions about accountability.
The report also uncovered discrepancies involving cancelled cheques. A comparison between cancelled cheques and bank statements revealed that cheques totalling D62,505,523.58, which were marked as void in the Integrated Financial Management Information System (IFMIS), were nevertheless withdrawn from bank accounts. Despite repeated requests, no physical cheques were produced to clarify this anomaly. Additionally, payments amounting to D1,921,215.58 were identified as cancelled yet encashed, a discrepancy that the FPAC says warrants police investigation.
Further financial irregularities were noted in foreign currency transactions, with a staggering difference of D253,716,855,439.67 between the translated Special Project USD General Ledger balance and figures reported in official financial statements. Even after revision, a D490,351 variance remained unexplained.
Adding a humanitarian dimension to the financial irregularities, the committee highlighted a lack of transparency surrounding compensation paid to victims of the Faraba Bantang incident. Although D18,271,059 was reportedly disbursed, audit documents lacked critical information—such as contact details and next of kin confirmation—necessary to verify payments.
The FPAC recommendations are unequivocal: the Minister of Finance must cease authorising virements for new posts outside the approved manpower budget, consistent with section 29(8) of the Public Finance Act 2014. The committee called for rigorous planning by the Personnel Management Office to prevent unauthorised staff expansions.
Furthermore, the Minister and MoFEA are urged to strictly comply with consultation requirements before effecting virements, as outlined in section 29(4) of the same Act. The report demands that MoFEA produce, within 30 days, documented proof of ministerial approval for all virements; failure to do so will result in referral to law enforcement for investigation.
The Accountant General’s Department has also been tasked with resolving the status of the cancelled cheques and providing clear evidence within 30 days, or face police scrutiny. On the matter of foreign currency translation differences, the FPAC called for detailed findings from the responsible task force to be submitted promptly. Lastly, the committee pressed for full disclosure of the compensation details for Faraba Bantang victims, including confirmed receipts, to be furnished within the same 30-day timeframe.
