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| Momodou |
Posted - 18 Sep 2023 : 22:49:49
The FPAC Has Stamp Its Authorities
By Kexx Sanneh
The Financial Public Account Committee (FPAC) of the Assembly National has passed a resolution to address various mismanagement of public funds and issues regarding the financial management and accountability of government institutions. The resolution serves as a guideline and instruction for government officials and agencies to take necessary actions to address the concerns raised by the Finance and Public Accounts Committee. Failure to comply with the resolutions may result in investigations, penalties, or other disciplinary measures.
1. Government institutions, particularly the Accountant General's office, the Auditor General's office, the Inspector General of Police, and the Judiciary, are required to provide the FPAC with a comprehensive list of all fraudulent cases, including names, amounts, dates, and their current status. Failure to comply will result in the Inspector General of Police launching an immediate investigation, with a report to be submitted to the FPAC within 90 days.
2. The Accountant General is instructed to reconcile all unreconciled government transactions indicated in the 2019 audited accounts before the end of the Financial Year 2023. Failure to do so will result in the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Finance taking appropriate disciplinary action against the responsible parties.
3. The Minister of Finance is directed to provide a written explanation to the FPAC by September 28, 2023, detailing the reasons why 404 virements totalling GMD 2,687,362,341.40 were made, surpassing the maximum threshold of seventy-five per cent (75%).
4. The Secretary General at the Office of the President and the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Works are required to provide a written explanation to the FPAC by September 28, 2023, regarding the timing of seeking approval for a single-source procurement for the rehabilitation works at the State House after the completion of the project.
5. The Secretary General at the Office of the President and the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Transport Works and Infrastructure must present a written explanation to the FPAC by September 28, 2023, justifying the acceptance of the Banjul Drainage, Roads, and Sewage (BDRS) Contract and providing evidence that GAI Enterprise is the most suitable and qualified contractor for the project.
6. The Accountant General is required to present all unpresented payment vouchers and supporting documents amounting to GMD 392,091.67 to the auditors for review by September 28, 2023. Failure to do so will result in the Inspector General of Police launching an immediate investigation, with a report to be submitted to the FPAC within 90 days.
7. The Contracts Committee and the Secretary-General at the Office of the President are expected to reimburse the sum of D950,000.00 to the government by September 28, 2023. This amount was asked to be removed from the Contract with Gai Construction for the Rehabilitation of State House by the Gambia Public Procurement Authority (GPPA). Failure to comply will result in the Inspector General of Police initiating an immediate investigation, with a report to be submitted to the FPAC within 90 days.
8. The Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Environment is required to provide all agreements with the Government of Senegal relating to forfeited timber seized on Gambian soil, as well as all payments made from the proceeds, to the Auditor General and the FPAC by September 28, 2023.
9. The Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Environment must also provide the Auditor General and the FPAC with details on the authority to spend funds generated from the sale of confiscated timber by September 28, 2023.
10. The Ministry of Finance and Economic Affairs is expected to provide a written explanation, along with supporting documents, to the auditors and the FPAC by September 28, 2023, clarifying the procurement of 15 motor vehicles that do not adhere to the specifications outlined in the contract. Failure to comply will result in the Inspector General of Police launching an immediate investigation, with a report to be submitted to the FPAC within 90 days.
11. The Ministry of Finance and Economic Affairs must also provide a written explanation, along with information on the procurement and delivery of two outstanding motor vehicles and their locations, to the auditors and the FPAC by September 28, 2023. Failure to do so will result in the Inspector General of Police launching an immediate investigation, with a report to be submitted to the FPAC within 90 days.
12. The Nissan Patrol Pickup vehicle purchased for the Panchang PIU must be delivered to the Inspector General of Police for delivery by September 28, 2023. Failure to do so will result in an immediate investigation launched by the Inspector General of Police, with a report to be submitted to the FPAC within 90 days.
13. The Chief of Staff and the Inspector General of Police are responsible for ensuring the cessation of commandeering NAO vehicles immediately.
14. The Public Utilities Regulatory Authority (PURA) is instructed to levy appropriate fines on Jah Oil Company for its deliberate noncompliance with regulations.
15. The Department of Physical Planning is prohibited from issuing construction permits for fuel stations without prior approval from PURA.
16. The Ministry of Youth and Sports must rectify the situation at the National Youth Service Scheme (NYSS) by the end of October 2023, and provide a report to the FPAC by November 15, 2023.
17. The Director General of the Gambia Bureau of Statistics (GBoS) is required to provide payment vouchers amounting to GMD 450,890.00 that were not presented for audit inspection to the auditors by September 28, 2023. Failure to do so will result in the Inspector General of Police launching an immediate investigation, with a report to be submitted to the FPAC within 90 days.
18. The Director General of the Gambia Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (GCCPC) must ensure the full recovery of funds involved in a fraud case concerning fuel coupons defrauded by their staff by September 28, 2023. Failure to comply will result in the Inspector General of Police launching an investigation for possible prosecution within 90 days.
19. The Principal of Gambia College must provide all missing vouchers amounting to GMD 21 million to the auditors by September 28, 2023. Failure to do so will result in the Inspector General of Police launching an immediate investigation, with a report to be submitted to the FPAC within 90 days.
20. The Select Committee on Regional Government is required to visit the Brikama Area Council no later than the end of October 2023 to investigate issues concerning the new BAC office building.
21. The CEO of Janjanbureh Area Council is required to provide the missing vouchers by September 28, 2023. Failure to do so may result in an investigation by the Inspector General of Police, with a report due to FPAC within 90 days.
22. The Director of Finance at Kuntaur Area Council must refund a claimed amount of D198,548.00, pertaining to Monthly Lumo Set-Settal, by September 28, 2023. Failure to comply will result in an investigation by the Inspector General of Police, with a report due to FPAC within 90 days.
23. The Select Committee on Regional Government and Lands, Ombudsman, and IEC are tasked with reviewing the Local Government Act, 2002 and the Finance and Audit Manual, 2004 by December 2023.
24. The Judiciary is required to prepare and submit their accounts for audit by the Auditor General, covering the period from December 31, 2016, to December 31, 2022, by December 31, 2023.
25. The GPPA (Gambia Public Procurement Authority) is expected to provide the Compliance Report of all institutions receiving public funds during the review period to FPAC.
26. All government institutions are instructed to regularize rental agreements with the Committee on Rent and Accommodation (CORA) and refrain from undertaking independent negotiations.
27. Institutions that have not submitted their pending Audited Accounts and Activity Reports by December 31, 2020, must do so to FPAC by December 31, 2023. Failure to comply may result in disciplinary measures against the respective Boards, Management, or Governing Councils.
28. The Auditor General is directed to incorporate ICT Audits across all government institutions starting in 2023.
29. The Auditor General is tasked with investigating the writing-off of D19,758,493.90 by the National Roads Authority (NRA) related to an advance payment to COPRI Limited.
30. The Auditor General and Accountant General's Department (AGD) must submit the Audited Accounts of the government for the years 2020 and 2021 to the National Assembly by the end of October 2023.
31. The Ministry of Finance and Economic Affairs and the Ministry of Justice are expected to review the legal framework on GAMWORKS by the end of October 2023, to ensure accountability to the National Assembly.
32. The Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Finance and Economic Affairs will be held responsible for penalties on late payments, interests, and commitment charges in relation to project disbursements, effective from September 2023.
33. The Permanent Secretary at the Ministry of Basic and Secondary Education in 2019 is required to reimburse the government by the end of September 2023 for a payment made on an expired contract.
34. Vote Controllers must refund the government for all expenses incurred through unauthorized single-source procurements, effective immediately.
35. All Ministries must provide FPAC with information on all projects under their jurisdiction, including both self-accounting and non-self-accounting projects. The responsible individuals overseeing these projects need to be included in the submission by September 28, 2023.
36. The Accountant General, in collaboration with the Minister of Justice, must provide relevant documents, including Janneh Commission's Treasury Receipts and information regarding the sale of assets belonging to Former President Jammeh, to the Auditor General and FPAC by September 28, 2023. Failure to comply will necessitate an investigation by the Inspector General of Police, with a report due to FPAC within 90 days.
37. City Municipal, and Area Councils are required to prepare credible accounts for the years 2019, 2020 (by the end of October 2023), and 2021, 2022 (by the end of December 2023), and submit them to the Auditor General for auditing.
38. The Ministry of Finance and Economic Affairs must ensure that all Councils start using the Integrated Financial Management Information System (IFMIS) for their financial transactions, starting in July 2024. |
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