By Fatou Dahaba
The Vice President of the Gambia, Muhammad B.S. Jallow, on Monday assured the National Assembly that The Gambia is fast-tracking major reforms to clean up public payroll irregularities and strengthen revenue collection, as the government moves to close gaps exposed in the 2020 audited accounts.
Presenting detailed responses to resolutions from the Finance and Public Accounts Committee (FPAC), VP Jallow told lawmakers that the Ministry of Finance, the Accountant General’s Department (AGD), and the Office of the President are integrating the Human Resource Management Information System (HRMIS) with the IFMIS payroll module. The move is designed to eliminate budget overruns and enforce strict adherence to approved staffing levels.
“Ghost workers and unbudgeted payments will soon be a thing of the past,” the Vice President declared, adding that the integration will flag any payroll entry that exceeds approved manpower plans.
Regarding long-standing reconciliation delays, Jallow revealed that the AGD is working closely with auditors to resolve discrepancies in the 2020 accounts, with a comprehensive update to FPAC promised within 30 days. Technical glitches that previously stalled progress have been escalated to system suppliers for immediate fixes.
Revenue management also came under the spotlight. The Vice President admitted that some agencies struggled to remit statutory deductions after losing major income streams. He cited GAIPER, which fell behind on PAYE and social security payments between 2023 and 2025 after 75% of its revenue from special investment certificate fees was redirected. Reconciliation of all outstanding obligations has now begun, with new cash-flow prioritisation measures in place.
Several public bodies—including the Independent Electoral Commission (IEC), the National Nutrition Agency (NaNA), the Public Utilities Regulatory Authority (PURA), and multiple local councils—have been given a 90-day deadline to submit any missing documents and fully implement FPAC recommendations.
Some councils are already leading by example. Mansa Konko Area Council has rolled out a digital revenue-tracking database, introduced monthly bank reconciliations, and standardised financial procedures in line with best governance practices.
VP Jallow wrapped up by stressing the Barrow administration’s zero-tolerance stance on financial indiscipline. “Every agency is now under instruction to recover outstanding funds, strengthen internal controls, and operate with full transparency,” he said.
FPAC members welcomed the commitments and vowed to closely monitor progress, with follow-up reports expected early next year.
