By: Fatou Krubally
Lawmakers on Wednesday took to the floor in a heated and wide-ranging debate over the 2026 Draft Budget, raising concerns about arrears overshadowing allocations, underfunded ministries, non-disclosure of departmental revenues, and what they describe as unrealistic projections for grants and project financing.
The debate was marked by tense exchanges, particularly when Hon. Almameh Gibba, NAM for Foni Kansala, insisted that after deducting arrears from the 2026 allocation for scholars budgeted at D100 million, the line effectively becomes “zero.”
Gibba argued that with outstanding arrears of D208 million from 2025, “when you minus the arrears, zero is there,” prompting interruption and clarification attempts from colleagues.
“What I am saying, I still stand by that… it has to be clear to the living and the dead,” Gibba maintained, insisting that the budget “after arrears, leaves nothing.”
He further criticised the government for establishing commissions and agencies such as GICTA, the ATI Commission, and some SOEs, which he said exist “with zero staff,” calling it meaningless to pass bills without ensuring funds to operationalise them.
Gibba also questioned the defence allocation, recalling that TACOS reforms were approved the previous year but allegedly not implemented. “Why do you approve things you cannot fund?” he said, warning the Defence Ministry and presidency that the National Assembly “will not be scapegoats.”
Hon. Sheriff Sarr, NAM for Jeshwang, shifted the focus to revenue mobilisation, saying parliamentarians “debate on extending jobs, but not how to collect revenue.”
“You must collect before you spend,” Sarr said, challenging ministries with revenue-raising departments such as agriculture, Interior, and Works to be given performance targets and incentives to increase collections.
He warned that several departmental revenue lines show significant drops in 2026, with Agriculture’s internally generated revenues, for example, falling to “zero” across many lines.
Sarr urged the government to properly monitor SICs issued to companies, noting that some investors are granted incentives without adequate follow-up to ensure the state gains value.
Serekunda NAM Flags Budget Non-Compliance with Public Finance Act
Hon. Musa Cham, NAM for Serekunda, said the national budget “is not in compliance with the Public Finance Act,” citing non-disclosure of departmental self-raised revenues.
“Teaching hospitals, higher education, basic education… they all raise revenue, but these are not disclosed. If disclosed, we would know our real revenue potential,” he stressed.
Cham also warned that the nation’s real deficit is closer to D25 billion, not D2 billion, if expected loans and budget support fail to materialise.
He criticised the state for under-utilising the country’s 212 nautical miles of maritime resources, saying fisheries revenues remain “far below potential.”
Brikama South NAM Questions Massive Increase in Grants Expectations
Hon. Lamin J. Sanneh of Brikama South questioned the sharp increase in anticipated project and programme grants from D15.6 billion in 2025 to over D28 billion in 2026.
He expressed worry about “attainability,” recalling that many donors in the past “were not responding as expected.”
Sanneh also raised concerns about underfunding the SOE Commission, which he said plays a critical role as the number of SOEs increases.
He warned that ministries risk becoming “weaker than their own projects,” as donor-funded project offices attract larger allocations and salaries than the parent ministries themselves.
Niamina Dankunku NAM Decries Collapse in Non-Tax Revenue
Hon. Samba Jallow (Niamina Dankunku) demanded explanations for the plunge in non-tax revenue from D7.5 billion to about D2 billion, arguing that such a decline undermines spending capacity.
He urged the Finance Ministry to focus on GSM operators, whom he believes can produce higher revenue when properly regulated.
Jallow also invoked the newly adopted programme-based budgeting framework, accusing the government of failing to align allocations with the strategic objectives and performance indicators outlined in the budget.
He pointed to the Ministry of Defence and Interior as examples where critical programme lines such as TACOS, protective clothing, ammunition, and law enforcement priorities were heavily underfunded.
Kiang West NAM Criticises Disconnect Between Budget and National Priorities
Hon. Lamin Ceesay (Kiang West) criticised the lack of alignment between the budget and the National Development Plan.
He argued that cuts and additions during parliamentary scrutiny often disregard whether ministries’ priorities reflect the real needs of communities in health, education, gender equality, disabilities, and child welfare.
“If these needs are not addressed in the budget, the National Assembly should send it back,” Ceesay said, lamenting that despite advocating for programme-based budgeting, many programmes are “underfunded and unrealistic.”
The debate continues as lawmakers await detailed responses from the Minister of Finance on arrears, donor reliability, revenue strategies, and the overall fiscal sustainability of the 2026 Estimates.
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By: Fatou Krubally Lawmakers on Wednesday took to the floor in a heated and wide-ranging debate over the 2026 Draft…
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