The National Assembly Member for SereKunda Musa Cham, is calling for immediate reforms to stop underreporting and mismanagement of public funds, citing serious lapses exposed in the latest audited accounts and financial statements.
In a statement shared with The Standard yesterday, Cham said a National Audit Office report currently before the National Assembly shows widespread underreporting of departmental self-raised revenues and extra-budgetary funds, raising fundamental questions about transparency, accountability, and compliance in The Gambia’s public financial management system.
“This is deeply concerning. These findings raise serious questions about transparency, accountability, and compliance within the broader public financial management system,” Cham added,
He singled out the Gambia Revenue Authority for its handling of statutory levies.
“Equally alarming is the manner in which statutory levies such as the Education Levy and Sports Levy are collected, distributed, and accounted for by the GRA,” Cham said. “Public levies are established for specific national purposes, and citizens deserve clarity on how these funds are managed and utilised.”
Following repeated concerns raised on the floor of the National Assembly, Cham said the Ministry of Finance has now circulated a standardised reporting template to all sectors and institutions generating departmental self-raised revenues.
“This is a positive development and an important first step toward strengthening transparency and improving financial reporting across government institutions,” he said.
But Cham said the template alone is not enough.
“Transparency and accountability in the management of public resources are essential for public trust and national development,” Cham said. “Every dalasi collected on behalf of the Gambian people must be properly accounted for and used for its intended purpose.”
