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| T O P I C R E V I E W |
| Momodou |
Posted - 27 Sep 2022 : 14:25:17
Parliament discovers D29.2 million unaccounted gov’t imprest
The Standard: SEPTEMBER 27, 2022
By Tabora Bojang
https://standard.gm/parliament-discovers-d29-2-million-unaccounted-govt-imprest/
The Finance and Public Accounts Committee of the National Assembly, FPAC, yesterday presented its report to the National Assembly plenary, which presented a gloomy picture of the state of financial unaccountability in government with millions of imprest yet to be accounted for. Presenting the report covering 2019 to 2021, committee vice chairman and member for Upper Saloum Alhagie Mbowe revealed that FPAC had audience with the Accountant General on the status of the repayment of outstanding imprest issued to ministries, departments and agencies and he informed them that the sum of D31.7 million was confirmed as outstanding imprest, out of which only D2.5 million was recovered. Mbowe said the Accountant General however clarified that his office had written to all the sectors affected with the names of the persons the imprest was issued to but unfortunately, they discovered that the majority of the officers involved have left the service and some of them could not be located.
FPAC chairman Mbowe, himself a former banker, further reported that committee members expressed disappointment with such an attitude of public officers “mishandling public funds.”
“The Committee directed the Accountant General to take further steps and use all avenues to recover the monies because every imprest issued by the Accountant General must be given a timeline within which it must be retired and any failure to do so should result in sanctions,” the FPAC urged in the report.
Contributing to the report, Central Baddibu NAM Sulayman Saho said there should be a list of the names of persons who are owing the state with unretired the imprest by the end of the day. “They need to pay back these monies in one month’s time, wherever they are on earth. So we must pursue these people to pay back these imprests. This is taxpayers’ money. We cannot have people take our money and say we don’t know how to trace them. That is not possible. Even if they fly to the moon we have to go and get them,” Saho argued.
The Majority Leader Billay G Tunkara said the Constitution has clearly stated that wherever discrepancies of a criminal or a fraudulent nature are discovered during an audit of an account by the auditor general he shall submit reports of his or her findings to the IGP for actions.
“So, there is no legal lacuna. There are no limitations and therefore I expect the committee to capture this point and instruct the Auditor General to act forthwith to make sure that the findings are sent to the IGP for further actions,” the Kantora NAM urged.
The Member for Upper Fulladu West, Bakary Kora stated that “it cannot be business as usual and it is about time the narrative changed. Sometimes we complain that there is no money in this country but for me, I say a big no. Gambia is among the richest countries in the sub-region. The problem with Gambia is the attitude. When we talk about corruption people look at the president, the executive and judiciary but remember those at the lower levels are even more corrupt than the executive. There are a lot of lapses. Of the one hundred percent of the tax collected by the government, only 54 percent comes to the government while 46 percent goes away,” he said. |
| 2 L A T E S T R E P L I E S (Newest First) |
| Momodou |
Posted - 30 Sep 2022 : 14:54:41
Related Topc: RESOLUTION OF THE NATIONAL ASSEMBLY |
| Momodou |
Posted - 30 Sep 2022 : 14:50:54
ASSEMBLY GIVES ONE MONTH DEADLINE FOR PAYMENT OF ALL UNRETIRED IMPRESTS
The Standard: September 30, 2022
By Tabora Bojang
https://standard.gm/assembly-gives-one-month-deadline-for-payment-of-all-unretired-imprests/
National Assembly Members have passed a resolution which among other things ordered that all outstanding imprests issued to ministries, departments, agencies and individuals totalling over D30 million be retired by October 31st 2022.
Presenting the report of the Finance and Public Accounts Committee of the National Assembly on Monday covering 2019 to 2021, committee vice chairman and member for Upper Saloum Alhagie Mbowe revealed that FPAC had audience with the Accountant General on the status of the repayment of outstanding imprests issued to ministries, departments and agencies and he informed them that the sum of D31.7 million was confirmed as outstanding imprest, out of which only D2.5 million was recovered.
Mbowe said the Accountant General however clarified that his office had written to all the sectors affected with the names of persons the imprest was issued to but unfortunately, they discovered that the majority of the officers involved have left the service and some of them could not be located.
Many legislators considered this excuse inappropriate during their debate and called on the parliament to come up with a stringent recovery plan to ensure the monies are retired.
The 11-point resolution tabled by the member for Upper Saloum, which preceded yesterday’s adjournment debate ending the current sessions, seeks to bring improvements in efficiency and integrity of public finance management.
The resolution states that all imprest be retired by October 31st 2022.
The member for Jeshwang Sheriff Sarr begged for an extension considering the long process that may be involved in reaching out to some of the affected persons.
“Some are not around and some are not seen and this resolution is enforceable,” Sarr submitted.
In response, the mover of the resolution Alhagie Mbow said the October 31st deadline is appropriate and will provide good time for the defaulters to effect repayments.
“Some of them have not retired since 2007. So, you already have 15 to 16 years and you have not retired. Why would we give you another six years to retire [the money]? For me I think that [October 31st deadline] should be okay,” Mbowe said.
But for his part, Central Baddibu NAM Sulayman Saho proposed that the Assembly include in the resolution that the IGP should take the necessary steps afterwards. |
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