Also in this roundup...
- Gambia security officer allegedly involved in drug deal
- NYSS says government subvention not encouraging
- Gambia Competition Commission decries ‘insufficient funding’ from government
NRA asked to account for D85 million meant for road
maintenance
The
National Roads Authority (NRA) must explain how or where it spent some D85
million which was meant to be spent on road maintenance.
The NRA,
on October 4, 2012, appeared before the National Assembly select committees
responsible for scrutinizing the performance and financial status of government
institution, the Public Accounts and Public Enterprise Committees (PAC/PEC).
The
Committees doubts the credibility and feasibility of the reports submitted to
it by the NRA, which they said contains numerous unanswered questions.
“I don't
think it is feasible for us to adopt the reports because more than 53 questions
directed by the honorable members were not substantially answered
satisfactorily,” stressed Hon. Abdoulie Bojang, the Speaker of the National
Assembly.
Bojang
exhorted the management and board of NRA to rework on the report to provide
answers to the questions raised by the select committees.
According
to Hon. Lamin K Jammeh, member for Illiasa constituency, D100 million was
requested for road maintenance for the year (2011) but the report indicates
only D15 million was spent.
“So where
is the remaining D85 million? That is a question that needs to be answered by
the NRA,” Hon Jammeh said.
The NRA
had been blamed by lawmakers in the last adjournment debate of September 25,
2012, for its un-fancied work in Banjul.
"The
joint committee had told NRA to build quality roads and not to build many roads
without any quality. We have to know the realities on the ground before coming
with designing road projects,” stressed Hon. Alhagie Sillah, member for Banjul
North constituency.
He
lamented the poor conditions of the sewage and drainage systems in the capital,
and calls for a multilateral approach to resolve the dilemma by involving
stakeholders into the show.
Meanwhile,
the outspoken member for Kombo Central constituency, Hon. Buba Ayi Sanneh, was
not convinced with the response of the NRA officials about the “ramshackle”
conditions of roads contracted by the institution.
“Something
need to been done,” Hon. Seedy Njie, a nominated member, demanded. “All the
roads are affected; I don't see any road in the country that lasted for more
than 5 years. What is NRA doing?”
Constraints
Mr.
Abdoulie Camara, Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Works Construction and
Infrastructure, tried to explain to the joint committee the NRA’s “numerous
constraints.” The greatest of which is “financial,” he said.
He blamed
the deplorable conditions of roads on heavy duty vehicles plying
Gambia-Senegal, suggesting the need for parliament’s support for legislation on
the issue.
Mr.
Momodou Senghore, acting Managing Director NRA, recommended for the Road
Transport Policy to introduce “road user charges” to enhance the road fund,
which he believes would address the present maintenance backlog.
He also
corroborated the permanent secretary’s concerns for control of vehicle overload
to avoid premature failure of road pavements.
Mr.
Senghore also highlighted the steady increase of recruitment in the institution
for more technical staff during the period under review and also mentions the
need to focus on road maintenance to ensure investments in the road sector are
fully protected.
“80
percent of the primary road network would have been upgraded to bituminous
standard when the Basse-Vellingara road project is completed in 2013,” he
projected.
The NRA’s
activities mainly involve monitoring and supervision of development and road
maintenance projects.
Gambia security officer allegedly involved in drug
deal
The
police in Banjul have brought criminal charges against Musa B. Sanneh, a member
of the President Yahya Jammeh-established joint-security organisation,
Operation Bulldozer.
Operation
Bulldozer, a brain-child of the Gambian leader, was setup in May 2012 for what
Yahya Jammeh said was meant to “clean the country of criminals.”
Sanneh, a
soldier, who is accused of selling heroin, a prohibited drug, to one Vesna Faye
Milosavljevic at the tune of D12, 700, made his second appearance at the
Kanifing Municipality Magistrates’ Court on October 8, 2012.
He is
standing trial on three charges - abuse of office, corrupt practices, and
destroying evidence.
Sanneh,
who is being represented by Counsel Moses B. Johnson Richards, has denied the
charges.
However,
the case could not proceed on Monday following the absence of the defence
counsel.
The
Presiding Magistrate, Sheriff B. Tabally, warned that the court shall discharge
the case if the defence counsel fails to appear in the next adjourned date of
15 October, 2012. The police prosecutor in the case is Chief Inspector
Jammeh.
Charges
Count
one: Abuse of office contrary to section 90 sub-section 2 of the criminal
code. The particulars of the offence states that Musa B Sanneh, on
or about 11th August 2012 at Manjai Kunda in the Kanifing
Municipality of The Republic of The Gambia, being employ to the public service
of The Gambia, sold drug (Heroine) to Vesna Faye Milosavljevic for the purpose
of gaining money which he knows or have reasons to believe is against the
functions of his office.
Count
two: Corrupt practice contrary to section 360 of the criminal code. The
particulars of the offence has it that Musa B Sanneh, on or about 11th
August 2012 a Manjai Kunda within the Kanifing Municipality of the Republic of
The Gambia being employ in the public service of The Gambia, received twelve
thousand and seven hundred Dalasis (D12, 700) from Vesna Faye Milosavljevic
being the proceed of drugs (Heroine) that he (Sanneh) gave to Faye
Milosavljevic thereby committed an offence.
Count
three: Destroy of evidence contrary to section 101 of the criminal code.
The particulars of the offence indicates that at the Bulldozer base in
Banjul Sanneh unlawfully took drugs (Heroine) from the exhibits store and sold
it to Vesna Faye Milosavljevic which he know to be exhibits and thereby
committed an offence.
NYSS says government subvention not encouraging
The
National Youth Service Scheme (NYSS), a government-established skills training
center, which depends entirely on monthly government subvention, has said the
way that the government is paying these subventions is least encouraging.
This was
disclosed by NYSS’s Accountant, Mr. Edward B. Wright, in his financial report
to the Public Account and Public Enterprise Committees (PAC/PEC) of the
National Assembly on October 8, 2012.
“Most of
the time NYSS financed its operations through bank overdrafts and this make it
impossible to remit the tax deduction from staff to Gambia Revenue Authority
(GRA) because banks always refuse to honor such payments,” Mr Wright said on
Monday.
According
to him, when NYSS subvention is suppressed or underpaid it reflects directly on
the budgeted activities and this resulted in the significant variances.
“NYSS
will liaise with Ministry of Youth and Sports, and Ministry of Finance and
Economic Affairs forthwith to remit the arrears outstanding to GRA with
immediate effect,” he said.
Noncompliance
Despite
its financial predicament, the NYSS is rated as “non-compliance” with the
dictates of the Gambia Public Procurement Authority, GPPA Act.
“NYSS did
not submit any procurement plans to the GPPA,” Mr. Ibraima Sanyang, a senior
compliance officer of the GPPA has revealed.
He also
revealed the NYSS is also awarding contracts to people who are not registered
with GPPA.
Report
deferred
The two
giant committees of the National Assembly, PAC/PEC, has unanimously decided to
defer the supposed scrutiny of NYSS’s annual activity and audited financial
reports till further notice owing to the “obvious non inclusion of its 2011
activities and financial spending”.
The NYSS
was asked to meet the Assembly Clerk for a possible rescheduled of its
appearance before the “scrutinizing committees.”
The skill
center, represented by ex-executive director and now deputy permanent secretary
ministry of youths and sport, Mr. Musa Mbye only presented the 2009 and 2010
activity and financial reports.
“I am
pleased to report that the NYSS is still on course with its mandate to provide
requisite skills for self-employment or creating employment opportunities, in
helping the acquisition of discipline minds, morally strong and
development-orientated young people,” Mr Mbye said.
He said
the aim of the report is to highlight key activities conducted within the
framework of NYSS Action Plan 2010. It covers management and staff matters,
matters on corps members, micro credit delivery and youth employment creation.
The
mandate to render annual reports on activities of the NYSS is in accordance
with Section 197 of the Constitution of The Gambia and the NYSS Act of 1999.
Gambia Competition Commission decries ‘insufficient
funding’ from government
The
executive secretary of the Gambia Competition Commission (GCC), has lamented
the insufficient funding given to his institution by the government for the
year 2011.
Mr.
Amadou Ceesay said the budget submitted by the Commission to The Gambia
government to enable it operate efficiently and effectively in the year 2011
was D25 million. “But only a paltry D7.9 million was given,” he lamented.
“This
amount was only able to cover the Commission’s administrative expenses while
the Commission had to seek financial and material support from international
organizations, which were disposed to supporting newly-established, fledgling
and under-funded institutions like ours (the GCC) to realize our planned
activities,” he revealed.
However,
he acknowledged the GCC has received financial support from various institutions
like the European Union through its TradeCom project, the Small States Network
for Enterprise Development (SSNED), the African Competition Forum (ACF), and
International Development Research Centre (IDRC).
Mr.
Ceesay was presenting the 2011 financial report of the GCC to the joint session
of the Public Accounts and Public Enterprises Committees (PAC/PEC) of the
National Assembly on October 3, 2012.
The
PAC/PEC adopted the reports of the GCC and commended Commission for its “stable
annual activity and audited financial reports.” They noted that the reports are
“binding and brilliant.”
The
primary responsibility of the GCC is to ensure that anti-competitive practices
in the Gambia economy do not exist or are minimized. This, it does through the
investigation of possible anti-competitive behaviour by enterprises.
The GCC
Act of 2007 empowers the Commission, which was setup in 2009, to compel persons
and business enterprises to furnish necessary information it may require, and
to intervene and remedy anti-competitive practices where necessary.
The Act
prohibits the following anti-competitive practices: collusive agreements
including bid rigging, price fixing, market sharing, abuse of monopoly
situation, and mergers which substantially lessen competition etc.
Mr.
Amadou Ceesay said: “Where businesses have been found to be deliberately and
negligently colluding to fix or share markets, the Commission can impose fines.
Earlier
on, GCC board chairperson, Alhagie T.S.A. Njie, in his activity report noted
the first two years of existence of the GCC - 2009 and 2010, were devoted
mainly to institution building, processes involving accession and suitable
accommodation for the staff and envisage activities that would be taking place.
He noted
they have managed to register significant developments during this period. “I
am certain that members (of the National Assembly) are also fully aware that
the public is beginning to appreciate the benefits that can be derived from
effective competition and law enforcement,” he claimed.
Poverty-stricken
citizens
“Gambia
is growing forward and the citizens are getting poorer and poorer,” argues Hon.
Alhagie Sillah, National Assembly Member for Banjul North. “I think the GCC
should sit and see how best they can deal with foreign investors for the
interest of the citizens.”
He
claimed that investors coming into the country to invest are taking away the
whole money back to their various countries.
Hon.
Bafaye Saidykhan, National Assembly Member for Jarra East agreed. He urges the
GCC and the Gambia Public Procurement Authority (GPPA) to work together to make
sure local and international investors register with the GCC and follow the
rules and regulations.
Hon. Pa
Malick Ceesay, member for Lower Solumn also agreed. He even suggested for
GCC and GPPA to create a level marketplace where local and international
businesses can engage in healthy competition.
“If the
market playing field is not level, it will be difficult for others especially
our local investors to compete. Our local investors should be given priority to
encourage them to compete with foreign investors in the country,” he said.
Investment
In 2011,
the GCC board charged the Secretariat to undertake several activities as a way
of promoting and maintaining competition in The Gambia, curbing practices that
have appreciably adverse effects on competition, and creating a level playing
field within which business can thrive in a liberal and competitive market.
The board
also tasked the secretariat to elaborate a three-year strategic plan 2012-2014;
to raise the visibility of the Commission and make the public more aware of its
existence and functions; to pursue strategies and explore opportunities that
would enhance the capacity of staff to carry out the Commission’s mandate with
utmost efficiency and effectiveness; and to build the institution’s financial
resource-base to enable it carry out its functions expeditiously and
effectively.
Stories Written By
Modou S. Joof
Follow on Facebook: The-North-Bank-Evening-Standard
These entries were
first published on the Banjul-based privately-owned Marketplace Business newspaper edition
of October 15-19, 2012.
The stories are also
published on the Gambia News
Online on October 15.
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