By Binta Jaiteh
The Gambia Marine Administration said it received a sum of D3.5 million from Gambia Ports Authority from 2016 to 2019 as subvention.
Modou Ceesay told lawmakers that his institution received D1.5 million from Gambia Ports Authority in 201 and D2 million in 2019 respectively.
He said the only subvention received was from GPA and it was D3.5 million dalasi and it was able to generate average internal revenue of about D24million from each operation over the four years period. He said there has been a steady upward stream in revenue over the years, with that financial performance it could be noted that GMA is like an agency given task of crossing the Atlantic Ocean, but noted that “it requires substantial support for this august body as well as the government to be able to carry out its mandate.”
He said GMA was established by an act of parliament in 2016, it operations had been conducted within the premises of the GPA who had been providing space and support and tittering the young institution until in 2012, while the act established GMA in 2006, it took long time before it was actually win off from GPA and went and updated as an autonomous independent entity.
“Its first audited account was in 2015 since then is rather unfortunate that we have been in backlogs in terms of activity report and financial statement and does missing this statutory duty of financial statements submission and presentation.”
He disclosed that the document is now validated, and it wills not only bolter enforcement on maritime revelations but also maritime safety and governance.
Adding the administration has carried out annual security audit of ports and facilities to ensure continuance compliance with the ports, non-confirmative were observed and brought to GPA for quality assurance.
Honorable Halifa Sallah, chairperson of the committee, said the administraion is responsible for the safety of navigation in the Gambia, to prevent marine source pollution, protection marine environment response to marine environment incident.
“Pursue the ratification and implementation of marine service, advise the government of maritime matters and represent the Gambia both national and international on maritime issues.
