Written by: Seringe S.T. Touray
The Edward Francis Small Centre for Rights and Justice (EFSCRJ) has published a consolidated analysis of the National Audit Office (NAO) reports for 2021 to 2023, revealing billions of dalasis in public funds flagged in audits as mismanaged, unsupported, or unaccounted for across several government ministries and agencies. The Centre says the audit findings expose deep governance failures and calls 2025 “the year of transparency and accountability.”
Agriculture: billions flagged in audits while farmers remain poor
The agriculture sector recorded the largest exposure, with about D3 billion flagged in audits between 2021 and 2023. Programmes such as ROOTS, NEMA, GIRAV, mechanisation, seed and fertiliser distribution, and farmer-support schemes were cited for unretired imprests, missing or forged payment vouchers, procurement outside GPPA rules, ghost cooperatives, undisclosed donor funds, and late financial reporting.
EFSCRJ says these weaknesses have left genuine farmers without critical inputs. Fertiliser and seed deliveries often failed to reach intended beneficiaries, while delayed irrigation projects and poor mechanisation benefited politically connected groups instead of producers.
The Centre is calling for forensic audits of all major agricultural projects, publication of complete beneficiary lists, recovery of misused funds, and a parliamentary inquiry into agriculture fraud. It warns that “agriculture money must reach the land, not vanish into corruption.”
Health: over D1 billion in irregularities
The Ministry of Health was cited for unretired imprests, unauthorised cash withdrawals, excess allocations, weak oversight of donor funds, and missing records across projects such as GAVI, Essential Health Services, and COVID-19 emergency programmes. More than D1.05 billion was flagged in audits between 2021 and 2023.
The Centre links these failures to drug shortages, unpaid health workers, and under-equipped facilities. It calls for a forensic audit of all ministry accounts, suspension of officials responsible for unaccounted funds, and strict enforcement of the Public Finance Act.
“When hospitals lack medicine, but millions vanish in paper records, this is not inefficiency, it is theft of life itself,” said Madi Jobarteh, Executive Director of EFSCRJ.
Education: D610 million unaccounted
The NAO reports for the Ministries of Basic and Secondary Education and Higher Education flagged over D610 million in irregularities from 2021 to 2023. Findings include unretired imprests, unsupported payments in the School Feeding Programme, missing documentation for school grants, irregular procurement in construction, and delayed donor reporting.
EFSCRJ says these failures have kept textbooks in short supply and slowed teacher training and skills projects. It calls for forensic audits of the School Feeding and Skills Projects, recovery of funds, and public disclosure of scholarship beneficiaries.
Tourism: D78 million in mismanaged funds
At the Ministry of Tourism and Culture and the Gambia Tourism Board, auditors identified unretired travel imprests, unsupported withdrawals, procurement violations, and delayed banking of revenue. About D78 million was flagged in audits over the three years.
EFSCRJ says the failures have weakened destination marketing and stalled community-based projects. It urges the National Assembly to summon the Ministry and GTBoard, order a forensic audit, and ensure responsible officers refund missing monies.
Upholding the integrity of the audit process
In its statement, EFSCRJ condemns attempts by some officials to discredit the Auditor General and the NAO reports. It says such actions undermine transparency and constitutional oversight. The Centre urges the government to focus on reviewing the findings, recovering public funds, disciplining officials found culpable, and strengthening institutional accountability across all ministries.
Written by: Seringe S.T. Touray The Edward Francis Small Centre for Rights and Justice (EFSCRJ) has published a consolidated analysis of the National Audit Office (NAO) reports for 2021 to 2023, revealing billions of dalasis in public funds flagged in audits as mismanaged, unsupported, or unaccounted for across several government ministries and agencies. The Centre The Fatu Network
