The Government of The Gambia has, for the first time in its history, submitted its annual financial statement on time, according to Auditor General Cherno Amadou Sowe of the National Audit Office (NAO).
The Accountant General’s office delivered the 2025 statement on March 31 at 6 p.m., enabling the NAO to meet its constitutional obligation of auditing and presenting the report to Parliament by June 30.
Auditor General Sowe hailed the achievement as a breakthrough in accountability and transparency. “It was important that the Accountant General submitted their financial statement on time, because if they did not, we would not be in a position to audit and submit to Parliament on time,” he said.
Oversight Strengthened:
The audited statements were signed off by Parliament, publicly debated, and livestreamed with media present a move Sowe said strengthens democratic oversight. “That’s how you hold public officials to account,” he emphasised.
Accountability Shared:
Sowe reminded stakeholders that accountability is a collective responsibility. While the NAO scrutinises public funds, dissemination of information requires collaboration with the media and civil society.
“We do disseminate information through our own social media platforms and website, but our traffic is not as high compared to yours,” he told journalists. “You have bigger platforms where you can make this information available to citizens. But accuracy and credibility are key.”
He urged the media to avoid sensationalism and present facts in full context. “Not only the negative stuff will sell. There are people who just want to know the truth,” he added.
NAO Bill Delayed:
Despite the progress, legislative reforms remain stalled. The NAO Bill, which has attracted donor interest since 2024, has yet to be passed.
Sowe explained that Cabinet received the wrong version of the document, derailing momentum. “For some strange reason, the version that went to Cabinet was completely different from what was agreed as the final version from the Ministry of Justice,” he said. The bill continues to be “ping-ponged” between the Audit Board Chairman and the Ministry of Finance.
Call for Transparency:
Sowe concluded by stressing that accountability cannot rest solely on the NAO. Citizens, Parliament, and the media all have roles to play in ensuring transparency in public finance. “Collectively, it’s the responsibility of all of us,” he said.
