By: Kebba AF Touray
The Gambia’s Vice President, Muhammed BS Jallow, has told Lawmakers that unpaid Covid-19 funds meant for students amounting to a million, three hundred and eighty thousand, one hundred and eighty-six Dalasi and eight bututs (D1,380,186.08) has been referred to the office of the IGP for investigation.
The Vice President made this statement on Tuesday, 12 March, 2024, while providing updates on the status of the implementation of the resolutions passed by the Finance and Public Accounts Committee on the 2019 COVID-19 Funds at the National Assembly.
VP Jallow, said resolution 8 of the FPAC resolutions deals with the Gambia Head of Mission in Beijing, Madrid, Addis Ababa and Abu Dhabi, who must account for all unpaid covid-19 funds meant for Gambian students amounting to D1,380,186.08, to the Accountant General and notify FPAC by end of October, 2023.
He added “Failure of which the IGP must launch an investigation immediately and report back to FPAC within 90 days.”
Reporting on resolution 36, he said the resolution tasked the Accountant General to liaise with the Justice Minister to provide the AGD and FPAC relevant documents including the Janneh Commission’s Treasury Receipts amounting to D22,319,957.92 and other information pertaining to the sale of assets of ex-President Jammeh.
This was reechoed by the Vice President, who said this must be done on or before 28th September, 2023, failing which the IGP must launch investigation into the issue and report back to FPAC within 90 days.
The Vice President replied, “This matter has been referred to the Inspector General of Police for investigation by FPAC.”
On the resolution for the Auditor General to immediately investigate the writing off of D19,758,493.90 by the National Road Authority for an advance they paid to COPRI, he said the Auditor General has commenced a special audit into the situation.
He said: “The engagement letter reference No. HC93/145/PART01/59 dated the 9th February, 2024 has already been sent and followed up with an entrance meeting which was held on the 23rd February, 2024.”
On GPPA to provide FPAC with compliance report of institutions that are receiving public funds during the review of the institutions, he said, “However, we acknowledge that there are some areas that GPPA hopes to clear, they are being directed to comply with FPAC to provide the compliance reports.”
With respect to the resolution for the CEO of Janjanbureh Area Council to provide all the missing vouchers immediately, failure which the equivalent amount be deposited into the account of the Council or the IGP to launch an investigation, he said the matter has been referred to the IGP by FPAC.
