Gambiaj.com – ( BANJUL, The Gambia) – The National Audit Office report that identified an unreconciled discrepancy of more than D1.1 million in the 2022 financial records of the National Assembly Service has been considered on Thursday by the parliament.
The audit, which examined the institution’s financial statements for the year ending December 31, 2022, found differences amounting to GMD1,135,461 between the National Assembly Service’s cashbook records and corresponding bank statements.
According to auditors, the discrepancies had not been fully reconciled by the close of the financial year, resulting in a misstatement in the institution’s financial statements.
Despite the issue, the Auditor General issued a qualified opinion rather than an adverse opinion, indicating that the accounts generally presented a fair view of the institution’s financial position except for the identified discrepancies.
“In my opinion, except for the effects of the matters described in the Basis for Qualified Opinion, the financial statements present fairly, in all material respects,” the report stated.
The audit was conducted in accordance with the Cash Basis International Public Sector Accounting Standards, the Public Finance Act 2014, and related financial regulations.
Auditors warned that unresolved differences between cashbook balances and bank records could distort the institution’s actual cash position if corrective measures are not implemented.
A qualified opinion is typically issued when auditors identify material issues in financial records that are significant but not widespread enough to invalidate the entire set of financial statements.
The findings come amid growing public scrutiny of financial management practices, accountability, and compliance with public finance regulations across state institutions in The Gambia.
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