The National Audit Office has set a deadline of 31 March for public institutions to submit financial statements, aiming to tackle delays and improve transparency and accountability in financial reporting to the National Assembly.
Senegal plans legal action against former President Macky Sall for alleged financial mismanagement, with reports of inflated figures, high debt, and budget deficit. Sall denies accusations, calling it a political move. If charged, he would be the first former head of state in Senegal to face legal
Senegal plans to take legal action against former President Macky Sall for financial mismanagement following an audit revealing inflated debt and budget deficit figures. Sall denies accusations, labeling them a political attack, as the government moves to repeal an amnesty law he passed.
Retired assistant accounting officer testifies at Local Government Commission of Inquiry in The Gambia, revealing financial irregularities and lack of proper documentation in handling public funds, highlighting issues of accountability and transparency in municipal administrations.
Senegalese authorities target Amadou Sall, son of former President Macky Sall, and businessman Racine Sy in the 125 billion CFA francs financial scandal probe, linking them to fraud, embezzlement, and money laundering involving 91 billion CFA francs
The Social Security and Housing Finance Corporation (SSHFC) in Gambia has completed over six thousand affordable housing units over the past 39 years, benefiting a similar number of people through its social protection services, according to its 2022 activity report. The report also highlighted a 12% growth in the Corporation's investment portfolio, from D5.92 billion in 2021 to D6.59 billion in 2022, and an 8.33% increase in the members' fund to D7.8 billion. The SSHFC has also established a new payment arrangement for the recovery of the D1.8 billion non-profit making state-owned enterprises and Gambia government loan portfolios.
Babucarr Fofana, former regional coordinator for the National Disaster Management Agency (NDMA) in Kuntaur, The Gambia, faced questioning over his handling of a 100,000-dalasi fund intended for COVID-19 relief. Fofana argued the funds were used for general disaster relief, citing major disasters in the region coinciding with the pandemic. The Local Government Commission of Inquiry is investigating the matter, with Lead Counsel Patrick Gomez asserting the funds were improperly accepted by the NDMA and demanding evidence of expenditures.
The Public Enterprise Committee (PEC) of the National Assembly in The Gambia has decided to question the Office of the Vice President and Finance Ministry about the €9.8 million spent on 70 buses for the Gambia Transport Service Company (GTSC). The decision follows discussions with the Social Security and Housing Finance Corporation (SSHFC) and the GTSC about the unrecovered expenditure. The government had initially directed the purchase of 50 buses, later adding 20 more, with the promise of refunding the money, a promise that has yet to be fulfilled.
The Ministry of Public Service in The Gambia, led by Baboucarr Bouy, has identified approximately 2,700 'unseen workers' across ten ministries, saving about D13.5 million per month. Following an internal audit conducted in April 2024, over 3,000 workers' salaries were blocked, with 882 reinstated after verification of their statuses. The ministry is currently entering data for the fourteenth ministries as part of their ongoing internal audit.
The Gambia's Minister of Public Service, Baboucarr Bouy, announced a collaboration with the Ministry of Communication and Digital Economy and support from Bangladesh to digitize a government portal for improved public service delivery. The digitization process aims to simplify access to national identification cards, passports, driver’s licenses, birth certificates, and business registration. The Minister also revealed plans for an internal audit on all ministries, except Basic and Secondary Education, Health, and Agriculture, to control the country's wage bill.
Mamadi Camara, the procurement officer for Kuntaur Area Council, testified before the Local Government Commission of Inquiry, admitting that not all procurement processes at the council go through his office, which raises concerns about financial oversight irregularities. He detailed the flawed procurement process, revealing that the council's CEO often makes procurement decisions independently, a practice challenged by Lead Counsel Patrick Gomez as a violation of standard procedures. The inquiry continues as the commission investigates procurement irregularities and governance lapses at Kuntaur Area Council.
The Finance and Public Accounts Committee (FPAC) has tasked the Vice President's Office with ensuring that missing payment vouchers worth D450,890 from the Gambia Bureau of Statistics (GBoS) are provided for audit inspection by September 28, 2023. Additionally, FPAC has directed the Judiciary to prepare and submit its accounts for the period 2016-2022 for audit by December 31, 2023.
The managing director of GPPC, Momodou Ceesay, denies allegations of financial mismanagement and claims that the institution has been regularly audited, with the 2021 and 2022 audits already completed and the 2023 audit underway. He also refuted claims that the D50 million bioclimatic exercise book printing machine was overpriced and not functioning, stating that it underwent proper procurement procedures and is currently in use.