By Binta Jaiteh
Honorable Allagie Mbow, National Assembly Member for Upper Saloum and Vice Chairperson of the Finance and Public Accounts Committee has strongly warned that Parliament henceforth will not allow Institutions to act anyhow with the public funds as far as the citizens’ plight is concerned.
Speaking during the committee sitting on the consideration stage of the annual report and audited financial statements of the Gambia Bureau of Statistics (GBOS) activity report for three consecutive years, he noted that a timeline has been given on how to prepare accounts and be submitted to the audit office warning that those timelines should be adhered to.
He immediately informed the Institution that the committee will schedule a date on which they should submit the 2020 and 2021 reports swiftly adding that he doesn’t expect any institution to be late because in early June to July this year they made it clear that going forward that the committee will not allow any institution to delay its work.
“Delaying our work is contempt of the Assembly and this Parliament is not ready to take that anymore. Do your work and submit the reports then we will carry the rest and allow us to ensure that we abide by the Constitution and the Public finance Act,” he noted.
He added: “The activity of the Gambia Bureau of Statistics is late because 2017 is five years, 2018 four years, and 2019 three years and we have not received 2020 and 2021 yet, I wanted to know why the accounts are delayed because I don’t think the change in the accounting system will warrant the delay for the submission of these reports.”
He noted that some of the quarries were made by the auditors but yet still there are issues with three transactions and that is one Saikou auto mechanic, travel and tours, and, Gamtel, those three transactions are still outstanding.
Responding to the Vice Chairperson of the Finance and Public Accounts Committee the management of GBOS said these unpresented payment vouchers were unfiled during the audit process and later resubmitted for further review and clarification but yet still no changes have been made.
According to the GBOS management, the auditor said it was provided but after the findings what was provided was removed and those three outstanding are still not provided.
Mbow urged the institution to submit the payment vouchers of 2017, to the FPAC with any other document latest today.
