FPAC demands special prosecutor for corrupt officials
The Finance and Public Accounts Committee (FPAC) of The Gambia’s National Assembly has thrown down the gauntlet, calling for nothing short of the establishment of an independent Office of the Special Prosecutor to hold corrupt officials accountable.
Tabling the Committee’s report after a two-week study tour to the Republic of Ghana (16th–29th July 2025), Hon. Alhagie S. Darboe, chairperson of FPAC and Member for Brikama North, said the move is critical to cure the enforcement deficit that has long undermined parliamentary resolutions and audit findings.
“The government, in consultation with the National Assembly, must set up a Special Prosecutor with the power, resources, and operational autonomy to investigate and prosecute financial malfeasance,” the report declared. “Without such an office, corruption will remain a merry-go-round of reports without consequences.”
The report further recommends a radical shift in accountability. Permanent Secretaries and Heads of Departments rather than the Accountant General should be held personally responsible for the preparation and integrity of their financial statements. These officials would then answer directly to parliamentary committees, with the Accountant General’s role limited to consolidating accounts for the national picture.
“This will end the culture of passing the buck,” Hon. Darboe emphasised, stressing that leadership must come with responsibility and consequences.
On budget reporting, the Committee urged the Ministry of Finance and Economic Affairs to disaggregate and itemise “Development Expenditure” in all budget documents. It also demanded clarity on the vague phrase “Consumption of Fixed Assets”, questioning whether it means depreciation or an entirely different expense.
Legislators argue that without precision, the public cannot truly understand how taxpayers’ money is being spent.
Another recommendation is the creation of a Project Appraisal Unit within the Ministry of Finance. The unit would rigorously evaluate all major public investment projects using economic tools such as Net Present Value (NPV) and Return on Investment (ROI) before such projects ever reach the National Assembly for approval.
“This is about ending wasteful spending and reckless borrowing,” the report warned.
The FPAC also called for the Public Financial Management (PFM) Act to be amended, making Risk Management Frameworks compulsory across all public institutions. Each ministry and department would be required to maintain a dynamic risk register and internal controls to avoid governance failures before they spiral into financial scandals.
Finally, the Committee urged that Members of the National Assembly particularly those in oversight committees be given continuous, specialised training in International Public Sector Accounting Standards (IPSAS), advanced financial statement analysis, the use of Artificial Intelligence in oversight, and ethical leadership.
“This is not about ticking boxes. It is about equipping lawmakers to match the sophistication of public finance management in the modern world,” Hon. Darboe said.
Source: The Point
