Gambiaj.com – (BANJUL, The Gambia) – The Auditor General’s 2025 report on the government’s financial statements has revealed that the Gambian government spent D9,023,300 to charter an eight-passenger private jet from Senegal to transport President Adama Barrow and his delegation to the 68th Ordinary Session of the ECOWAS Authority of Heads of State and Government in Abuja, Nigeria, in December 2025.
According to the audit report, the aircraft, hired from Sam Airways, a Dakar-based company, was used for the President’s official trip to the regional summit held from 13 to 15 December 2025.
Audit Finds Tax Was Not Withheld
While the expenditure itself was disclosed, auditors raised concerns that the government failed to deduct and remit a withholding tax of D270,699 to the Gambia Revenue Authority (GRA), contrary to the requirements of the Public Finance Act.
The report states that the omission breached the provisions of the Income and Value Added Tax Act 2012, which requires withholding tax to be deducted on qualifying payments to vendors.
Auditors warned that the failure to withhold and remit the tax not only deprived the government of much-needed revenue but also risked encouraging future non-compliance with the country’s tax laws.
“Failure to deduct the withholding tax directly violates the Income and Value Added Tax Act 2012 and has denied the government much-needed public revenue as well as set a precedent that may encourage further non-compliance,” the report states.
Management Admits Oversight
In its response to the audit findings, government management acknowledged the lapse, describing it as an oversight during the payment process.
Management assured auditors that measures would be introduced to prevent similar occurrences in the future.
“It has noted the query concern and explained that the non-deduction of withholding tax was an oversight at the time of making the payment,” the response states.
The government added that it would work with the Accountant General’s Department to improve payment controls by ensuring the correct tax rates are automatically applied when vendors are selected in the financial management system.
“Going forward, management will work with the Accountant General’s Department to ensure the right selection of vendors and related tax rates in the system such that the deduction is automatically generated,” the response added.
The Auditor General’s 2025 report is currently before the National Assembly’s Finance and Public Accounts Committee (FPAC), which is examining the findings and is expected to question accounting officers and make recommendations aimed at strengthening public financial management and ensuring compliance with financial and tax regulations.
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