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Momodou
Denmark
11728 Posts |
 Posted - 17 Jul 2025 : 22:11:59
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PUBLIC STATEMENT 17th July 2025
EFSCRJ Shares Summary of FPAC Report on Local Government Councils
On 3rd July 2025, the Chair of the Finance and Public Accounts Committee (FPAC) of the National Assembly, Alhagie S Darboe, Member for Brikama North presented the Committee’s report on the audited accounts of Government ministries, departments and agencies including local government councils. These accounts were audited by the Auditor General for the period covering 2019 to 2021 and submitted to FPAC as required by the Constitution. The Committee then conducted a public hearing on it from October 2023 to February 2024 during which FPAC engaged with permanent secretaries, heads and board members of Government ministries, departments, and agencies. The Report was adopted by The Gambia National Assembly.
EFSCRJ will shortly share a summary of the Report as it relates to the local government councils for public consumption.
The FPAC Report highlights systemic issues in financial management, governance, and compliance across local government councils as well as highlighting significant concerns about their performance and efficiency. These councils, tasked with delivering essential services and managing public funds at the local level, exhibit systemic deficiencies that undermine transparency, accountability, and effective governance. The Report highlights millions of dalasi which remain unaccounted for.
The findings underscore the need for improved record-keeping, adherence to procurement regulations, and stronger internal controls to enhance transparency and accountability.
We are first sharing a summary of the Report as it relates to local government councils in our drive to promote and ensure transparency and accountability of public institutions. Following this, we will also share issues and findings on public hospitals and health facilities mentioned in the Report.
EF Small Centre calls on all citizens to review these reports to know and understand the state of the public sector management of public resources and affairs. We urge all citizens to stand ready and willing to demand transparency, accountability, and responsiveness from local government councils.
The single biggest threat to the peace, democracy and prosperity of the country and her citizens is public sector corruption which manifests in bribery, conflict of interest, disregard of the rule of law and abuse of office.
These malpractices are currently widespread across the Government at both central and local levels hence severely undermining national development, wasting resources and opportunities, and imposing hardships on the people. We call on all citizens to be interested in the reports of the National Assembly and the National Audit Office in the fight against public sector corruption and in protecting and promoting national interest.
2025 – The Year of Transparency and Accountability
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A clear conscience fears no accusation - proverb from Sierra Leone |
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EFSCRJ: PUBLIC STATEMENT 17th July 2025
