By Arret Jatta
An amount of over D17 million has been detected to have been overdrawn in the Gambia Civil Aviation (GCAA) cash and cash equivalent Accounts. This was revealed in the Public Enterprise Committee’s (PEC) 2020 report which was presented at the National Assembly yesterday.
“In the amount stated on the Zenith Bank Gambia Ltd facility letter indicated that D13 million financing facility, further reviews of the banking records and confirmations for the period indicated that the Authority had an overdrawn amount of over D17 million as at the year-end,” the report stated.
In the presented report, the “auditors noted that there is no facility letter for Mega Bank Gambia Ltd overdraft which has a balance of over D68 million as of 31st December 2020.”
The report further stated that the amount stated on the Zenith Bank Gambia Ltd facility letter indicated a D13 million financing facility, it further reviewed the banking records and confirmations for the period indicated that the Authority had an overdrawn amount of over D17 million as of the year-end.
The Committee recommended that the Board should provide updates to the Committee on details of the Loan Agreement, Consultancy, and Contracts that were paid from these facilities.
The Committee further recommends that the Auditor General conduct a special audit on this issue.
The report noted that according to 5.2 11a of the Authority’s accounting procedures manual, “on the arrival of a non-scheduled airline, the commercial assistant on duty bills and the pilot pays cash before departure”.
However, it is noted in the report that some airlines did not make such payments before departure.
The Auditors also noted that some Air Service Licenses were approved and issued licenses by the GCAA and not the Minister of Transport, Works and Infrastructure, which is contrary to section 78 of the GCAA Act, 2018.