Mr President, the Finance and Public Account Committee (FPAC) of the National Assembly has passed a resolution to address various concerns and issues regarding the financial management and accountability of Government institutions.
The resolution serves as a guideline and instruction for Government institutions and agencies. It is also out to ensure government officials take necessary actions to address the concerns raised by the Finance and Public Account Committee. Failure to comply with the Committee's demands may result in investigations and subsequent disciplinary measures and other penalties.
FPAC discovered that over seven billion dalasis - precisely D7,367,390,837,80 - lent to State Owned Enterprises (SOEs) are yet to be reimbursed.
Mr President, these unpaid loans must be recovered to meet Government's pressing expenditure and other challenges in fulfilling its obligations to the citizenry.
Mr President, we commend the Office of the Auditor General and FPAC members for a job well done in exposing financial irregularities in Government ministries, departments and agencies (MDAs).
Government should take serious steps to recover monies unaccounted for and culprits should be made to face the full force of the law. The about D200M COVID-19 funds unaccounted for should also be recovered.
We are in the era of good governance and must fight corruption to achieve a better nation, depending on the improvement of the economy. A move towards that direction will be the immediate enactment of the Anti-Corruption Bill to tackle the menace of misuse of government funds.
Mr President, the management and staff of Gambia Revenue Authority (GRA) have shown a good example in managing government funds by collecting every year more than 12 billion dalasis to enable Government pay monthly salaries to over 43,000 civil servants in various sectors, including health, education and roads construction.
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GRA therefore needs to be commended and rewarded for their honesty and hard work as they continue to set good example for the MDAs and indeed to the citizenry.
Finally Mr President, the 78th Ordinary UN National Assembly Session ended last week in New York. And African leaders present there expressed concerns on military coups on the continent, which is growing rapidly and becoming a menace again in Africa.
While that is happening, the Jihadists are fully equipped, financed and trained and are gaining ground in the Sahel - sub-Saharan Africa - as they continue to kill innocent people and loot their goods in order to conquer states in the Sahel to declare them Islamic States.
Observers believe UN should help to fight against terrorism and make recommendations to tackle coups in Africa. To avoid coups, African leaders should stop amending their constitutions to stay in power. They should also avoid embezzling government or public resources, as we saw in Niger, Guinea Conakry and Gabon, where millions of foreign currencies contained in bags and boxes were found in the private homes and official residents of deposed presidents.
The youth, who represent 62% of the voters in Africa, are adamantly against amending state constitutions to overstay in power.
President Macky Sall of Senegal has, however, set a good example for his colleague African leaders to resist the temptation of running for a third term. He should therefore be emulated to promote peace, democracy, unity and development in Africa.
Good day!
