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kobo
United Kingdom
7765 Posts |
 Posted - 13 Apr 2013 : 00:38:01
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1.CONTROVERSIAL DEBATE AT THE NATIONAL ASSEMBLY
Foroyaa Burning Issues News: Published on Friday, 12 April 2013
Written by: Kebba Camara
"On Tuesday,9 April 2013, at the National Assembly, a controversy surfaced during the debate on the motion to adopt the report of the public accounts committee and the public enterprise committee. While the minority leader pointed fingers at the government, stating that they have a lot to explain, the majority leader asserted that the government has done a lot; that the joint PAC/PEC committee was initiated by the president in line with the transparent nature of the government.
The motion to adopt the report which raises serious issues regarding public financial management was moved by the majority leader, Hon Fabakary Tombong Jatta. After the majority leader summarized the functions of the PAC/PEC at the National Assembly, it was seconded and other Assembly Members described the job done by the PAC/PEC committee as good.
On the other hand, other national assembly members also showed disappointment regarding some institutions and asked several questions to the majority leader and the PAC/PEC committee. Ebrima Solo Jammeh, member for Foni Bintang said he is disappointed with the financial report of the UTG. He said it is funny that the Gambia University cannot settle their inner house issues. He also asked how they can also be given the mandate to oversee the Gambia College. He said this is why the college is just there as a structure but the administration is very poor. “If you cannot manage the affairs of the UTG, how can you oversee the college?” he asked. The member for Foni Bintang said these are the people who should manage the affairs of the country and still now they are yet to settle down. “The management of the University will always say they are the academicians but they cannot even tell us where some funds went missing, they cannot deliver …,” queried Ebrima Solo Jammeh, member for Foni Bintang. The minority leader also addressing the Assembly said his first disappointment is with the Ministry of finance. He questioned how other institutions can perform if the ministry of finance does not perform to expectation. He said the PAC/PEC joint session was alarming in that over D33 million was spent without any proper documents issued to the said Ministry on how that money was spent; that D300 million was also spent without any proper vouchers. “It was also highlighted that the government sold Gamtel/Gamcel to the tune of D36 million but received only 28 million. So, where is the rest of the money?” He argued that the Auditor General does not have access to any proper documents. The Minority leader asserted that the APRC government is not doing well and they have a lot of questions to answer; that most documents are not seen especially those dealing with finance. Minority leader Samba Jallow said that GPPC is owed over 18 million by the government and asked what ideas are put in place by PAC/PEC to recover all these monies. Other members such as Bintanding Jarju, member for Foni Berefet, and others commended the PAC/PEC committee while some of them continued to raise concerns.
Fabakary Tombong Jatta in responding to some of the concerns especially by the Minority leader opined that the complaints raised by the minority leader do not hold any water. He said that 95% of the members of the PAC/PEC are APRC and their leader is the president. He said the president advocates for zero tolerance to corruption and that’s why he (the president) set up this committee. He said people should go by the dictates of the head of state and the law and refuted claims that the APRC is not doing well and have many questions to answer. “We are all fighting for one thing which is to make sure public funds are well managed. This government wants transparency and that’s why this government will be here until we retire; and also the NGOs get their resources through the Gambian government, they should also be accountable for their deeds. The PAC/PEC is well recognised not only by the Gambians but internationally as well,” concluded the Majority leader."
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Edited by - kobo on 13 Apr 2013 00:38:52 |
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