By Binta Jaiteh
The National Audit Office will submit the Gambia Standard Bureau of Statistics (GSBS) audited financial statements and activity reports for the year ended 31st December 2017 as well as reports of 2018 and 2019 on 9th March, 2021.
Honorable Halifa Sallah chairperson of the committee stated that the Gambia Standard Bureau also prefers to create a governing authority in order to ensure autonomy to such enterprise. Section (175) sub section (2) creates the governing authority and charged the president of the republic to appoint them from people who have maturity of judgment.
He added that it deems it fit to go further to instruct National Assembly to establish a committee under section (175) sub section (4) charging the committee responsibility of monitoring the responsibilities of enterprises to make them accountable to the National assembly. However, looking at the functions of GSBS we are dealing with an institution whose existence is vital for the proper management of the economy and proper rendering of services to the people.
“Gambia will never ever develop without building this institution and it shows the quality of products imported and exported regarding their capacity,” he said.
Yaya Jallow, auditor from National Audit Office said: “2015 and 2016 reports is going on for long time, due to disagreement of certain balances in their financial statements and it was going between the National Audit Office and TBSB for adjustment which took time before the completion, 2015 and 2016 was completed in December 2020.”
He continued that 2017 report was submitted, although, it need to be revised to include the closing balance for the revise of 2015 and 2016 financial statements.
Representing the board, Alpha Jallow said the chairman of the board Mr. Sanna Jatta who for unavoidable reason could not join them at the assembly because he went abroad and got lockdown due to Covid-19, this has delayed his arrival.
Mr Jallow therefore assured the committee that the board is fully committed and will meet its reporting obligations and put the resolution to complete all pending reports this year.
Director General, Papa Secka, said the board representative has indicated reflects to the current status in respect of auditing financial statement of this year’s adding that it could be recall that it took a while before national audit office could conclude auditing 2015 and 2016.