Gambiaj.com – (BANJUL, THE GAMBIA) – The National Assembly, in collaboration with the National Audit Office (NAO), on Thursday held a high-level strategic engagement with parliamentary committees responsible for audit oversight, as part of efforts to strengthen legislative scrutiny of public financial accountability.
Speaking at the opening session, Clerk of the National Assembly Kalipha MM Mbye underscored the importance of audits in ensuring public accountability, highlighting institutional reforms introduced by the Assembly to improve the performance of its committees.
He said the reforms include investments in performance management, staff capacity development and systems for planning, implementing, monitoring and reporting on committee activities.
Mbye stressed that delays in submitting, reviewing or implementing audit recommendations could undermine the entire public accountability process.
“Public financial accountability rests on a sequence of institutional obligations. An audit report that is submitted late, considered late, or implemented only in part weakens the accountability that the entire process exists to secure,” he said.
Auditor General Cherno Amadou Sowe, in his opening remarks, highlighted the evolving relationship between Supreme Audit Institutions and Parliament, noting that their responsibilities extend beyond conducting audits and submitting reports to ensuring that audit findings translate into meaningful improvements.
“The value of a supreme audit institution is not measured solely by the number of audits conducted or reports produced, but by the positive difference its work makes in the lives of citizens,” Sowe said.
Minority Leader and Chairperson of the Finance and Public Accounts Committee (FPAC), Alhagie S. Darboe, welcomed the initiative and reaffirmed the committee’s commitment to strengthening its oversight responsibilities.
He said the engagement would help lawmakers better understand technical audit findings, including audit opinions, weaknesses in internal controls, and irregularities in procurement and asset management.
Representatives from the State-Owned Enterprises Commission, The Gambia Police Force, the Accountant General’s Office and the Directorate of Internal Audit also attended the engagement.
The initiative is expected to enhance the capacity of National Assembly committees to scrutinize audit findings, follow up on recommendations and promote greater accountability in the management of public resources.
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