Concerns about the handling of its internally produced finances prompted the Independent Electoral Commission (IEC) to address the Finance and Public Accounts Committee (FPAC).
The meeting came after the National Audit Report for 2020–2023 brought to light a number of anomalies, including the deposit of more than D300 million into private accounts for regional election expenditures.
IEC management defended its actions during the hearing, stating that the Elections Act, not the Public Finance Act, served as the guidance for how it handled domestically produced cash.
The IEC must follow the Public Finance Act, according to FPAC Chairperson Alagie S. Darboe, who also pointed out that the commission’s independence under the Elections Act does not absolve it of financial responsibility.
“Any fund that you are going to have should be approved by the National Assembly from the consolidated fund. And if you have extra funds also,
they should be deposited in the consolidated fund. It should be there,” he stated, adding that any provision in the Elections Act that conflicts with the Public Finance Act is null and void.
In response, IEC Vice Chairperson Cherno Jallow reaffirmed the commission’s operational independence while expressing agreement on the significance of honesty and openness in financial management.
“We don’t have any problems with your argument, but the procedure matters. Procedures that impact on the operational independence of the IEC matter. We should be accountable for all funds that are in our custody,” he said.
Sambujang Njie, IEC Chief Electoral Officer, suggested that the National Assembly examine clauses that clash between the Public Finance Act and the Elections Act. He insisted that by failing to transfer internally generated monies to the Consolidated Fund, the commission had operated in accordance with the Elections Act.
Chairperson Darboe explained that all internally generated revenues must be deposited into the Consolidated Fund as a matter of law, not just for administrative purposes.
“Anywhere you are dealing with finance, we cannot put aside the Public Finance Act. The election act is one thing; the public finance act is another thing,” he stressed.
Vice Chairperson Jallow came to the conclusion that the IEC would guarantee future adherence to financial norms and pointed out the necessity of reviewing certain legislative measures in order to bring them into harmony.
