Impending National Assembly PAC/PEC Meeting

Gamtel, NAWEC, GIA, Other PEs to Submit Financial Statements

Past activities in Gambian Public Enterprises are expected to come under the spotlight when they submit details of their accounts and other activities to the Public Accounts and Public Enterprises Committees of the National Assembly. The exercise is in line with the principal objective of performing lawful checks, scrutiny and oversight over public enterprises and agencies with a view to ensuring that the government of The Gambia and its public service delivery system, institutions, enterprises and agencies are collectively, jointly and severally accountable to the Gambian people, the National Assembly is expected to receive and consider annual activity reports, audited accounts and financial statements from NAWEC, Central Bank, Gamtel and others from 8th –11th October 2007.

In coming up with its findings, opinions and recommendations, the Public Accounts Committee and Public Enterprise Committee of the National Assembly will, upon conclusion, consider the issues, queries and observations in the Auditor Generals report along with the testimonies of witnesses on the issues and queries raised. This exercise, among others, is in pursuance of the powers bestowed on the two committees by the provisions of section C102, C109 and C110 of the 1997 constitution.

According to a press release from the office of the Speaker of the National Assembly, the joint session of the Public Accounts Committee/ Public Enterprise Committee of the National Assembly shall reconvene from 8th –11th October to receive and consider annual activity reports, audited accounts, financial statements and Management letters from Public Enterprises namely GAMPOST, NYSS, NAWEC, MSA, CENTRAL BANK, GIA, AMRC, GCAA and GAMTEL.

Accordingly, the release went on, heads and directors of the aforementioned public enterprises are hereby urged to please proceed and submit to the clerk of the National Assembly the reports of their agencies and to kindly take note of the dates and times allocated to their respective agencies.

It could be recalled that the National Assembly in July received and adopted an updated report of the PAC on the Auditor General’s report on the accounts of the government of The Gambia from July 1992 to December 1999.

The report highlighted issues on the backlog of accounts and imbalances of over D800 million accumulating from 1992-1999.