Gambia Faces Consequences of Non-Compliance in Local Government Authorities
Rampant Non-Compliance in Local Government Authorities Revealed
Top officials from the Government Procurement and Property Agency (GPPA) have made a shocking revelation that non-compliance is widespread in local government authorities across The Gambia’s regions. According to testimony before the Local Government Commission of Inquiry at the Djembe Hotel in Senegambia, procurement practices and compliance levels are woefully inadequate.
2020-2021 Compliance Review Report Highlights Non-Compliance Issues
The 2020-2021 Compliance Review Report for Brikama Area Council highlighted striking similarities with findings from a year earlier on non-compliance issues. The report revealed that no formal appointment was made of members to the contracts committee, and transactions were not approved by the committee as required.
Lack of Evidence Supporting Procurement Transactions
Further investigation uncovered a lack of evidence supporting procurement transactions, including:
- Receipts
- Delivery notes
- Evaluation reports
In some instances, there was no evidence at all. The GPPA official also disclosed that there were no minutes taken of contracts committee meetings regarding procurements, raising serious concerns about transparency and accountability.
Alarming Examples of Non-Compliance
One particularly alarming example cited by Sanyang was the Brikama Area Council’s expenditure of D967,680 to purchase 25 kilograms of rice through single sourcing, exceeding the permissible threshold of D20,000. This egregious breach of procedure has sparked widespread concern over the misuse of public funds in The Gambia.
Consequences of Non-Compliance
The consequences of non-compliance in local government authorities across The Gambia are far-reaching and devastating, threatening the very fabric of transparency and accountability in public governance. As the inquiry continues, Mr. Sanyang is expected to reappear before commissioners today to provide further clarification and insight into these disturbing revelations.
Next Steps
As the investigation unfolds, it remains to be seen what measures will be taken to address the widespread non-compliance issues revealed in The Gambia’s local government authorities. One thing is certain: the consequences of inaction will be severe, and the people of The Gambia deserve better from their public officials.