Making public enterprises and agencies accountable is indispensable in the development of any country, as it will help a great deal in the fight against the menace of corruption.
It is gratifying to note that the Joint Public Accounts and Public Enterprises Committees of the National Assembly have started receiving and considering annual reports and financial statements of all public enterprises/agencies of the Government of The Gambia.
Nothing can be more accountable than this. In a significant way, this is a clear demonstration of accountability and transparency in our society.
The month-long exercise, which started on Monday, will give the lawmakers the opportunity to receive and consider annual reports and financial statements of all public enterprises/agencies of the government.
As an exercise, it ensures that public enterprises and agencies will be more accountable and transparent now than ever before in all their activities.
They can no longer hoodwink the taxpayers, who partly or wholly fund public enterprises and agencies in this country. It will all be there for us to see at the end of the exercise.
Yes, the exercise may not be popular with some, especially those involved in dubious dealings, but we should all understand that it is geared towards performing lawful checks, scrutiny and oversight over public enterprises and agencies and the public service delivery systems.
The meeting should not be seen as a witch-hunt, but rather discharging fully the statutory duties entrusted to the National Assembly by the Constitution and other laws of the country.
This is done with a view to ensuring that the
Taxpayers should know how their money is being used, and this is one way of enabling them to do so.
Almost every year, some public agencies fail to submit their reports to the committees for scrutiny, due to unknown reasons.
But then they should know that they are only deceiving themselves, because sooner or later their inadequacy or whatever will stick out like a sore thumb.
It is the collective resolve and mandate of the lawmakers to make sure that the loans they ratify in the National Assembly or grants secure on behalf of the Gambian people are properly accounted for.
They represent the people and should, therefore, keep the public abreast of whatever is going on.
This we would all agree will boost donor confidence.
Another side to the issue is that public enterprises and agencies are owned by, and at the service of everybody.
Therefore, anything that is done to make them more accountable and transparent to the general public should be supported.
“Trust in Allah, but tie your Camel.”
(Old Muslim Proverb)
