By Binta Jaiteh
Honourable Lamin T Sanneh, NA member for Foni Jarrol has said the Gambia needed a dictator but not a lenient president, and malpractice that is occurring in the offices without check.
He said this cannot be allowed in the country while the people continue to suffer and seeing that D51 billion has been increased to the debt service within six years.
He revealed this during the debate of the Finance and Public Accounts Committee (FPAC) on the audit report on the Government’s COVID-19 response to the procurement and distribution of food and medical items.
According to him, he said, from 2017 up to 2021 as the report states a lot of grants were pumped into the economy but looking at the country’s economy today is very sad, glancing at the report the total amount of grants is one billion two hundred and ninety-six million, three hundred and seventy-seven thousand eight hundred and twenty-eight dalasi and it is confirmed that this was not disclosed in the financial statements and grants continue to be received by sectors.
He asked, where is the money going? Meanwhile, he said on social media every day people are told that money is disappearing and there are too many leakages the question is how can we close these leakages?
‘’If we continue to have physical contact with cash I’m afraid the country will continue to move backward and the people will keep on suffering. We have to act on this report the recommendations should be implemented without fear or favor if we want this country to proceed,’’ he said
Honourable Sainey Jawara NA member for Lower Saloum also expressed disappointment over the Finance Minister’s absence noting that since the estimate was laid at the assembly the Minister is nowhere to be seen. He added that issues were raised at the assembly during the State of Nation Address by the members regarding his Ministry and again this important report of FPAC laid by the member for Upper Saloum.
He said he’s doing the job of the office but he should reconsider the Parliament issues and recommendations highlighted by Honorable Allagie Mbow which there is no representative from the Finance Ministry to respond to the Vice Chairman.
‘’The grants that enter the country are important I will take an example from the Ministry of Agriculture where we have eight projects which most of which are grants the citizens don’t even know if grants are available in the country,’’ he noted.
Most grants go back to the donors because the intended project failed I agree with the chairman that all grants should be submitted to the accountant general and the Ministry of Finance because it is meant for the citizens.