The Office of the President (OP) paid out more than D32.5 million to suppliers without the necessary procurement paperwork, including a D926,292 business-class round-trip ticket for First Lady Fatoumatta Bah Barrow’s trip to New York, according to the 2023 Audit Report on the Government of The Gambia’s financial statements.
According to the report, the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) Secretariat received a soft loan of D32.5 million from the OP in November 2023 to pay for employee salaries. The OP ordered that the money be sent to its suppliers, which included the National Security Adviser’s Account, Cinderella Travel & Tours, Ansu Auto Service, Fatima Trading, and Malick Mendy Tailoring Ltd., even though the OIC wanted to pay the money back into the consolidated revenue fund.
According to the auditors, the OP failed to provide the procurement and supporting paperwork they had asked for for the services provided.
According to the article, Cinderella Travel & Tours received D926,292 ($15,212.55) for the First Lady’s round-trip business-class ticket. The usual market pricing for comparable routes and travel conditions was between GMD 487,120 and GMD 548,010 ($8,000–$9,000), according to a benchmark analysis done by auditors, which raised concerns about overpaying.
We completed a benchmark analysis using airline agents for comparable travel dates, the same route, and the same travel class. As of the invoice date, the usual market rate for such a ticket was between GMD 487,120.00 and GMD 548,010.00 (8000 and 9000 USD), according to the audit report.
Furthermore, even though Ansu Auto Service is not a registered vendor for high-value government acquisitions, they were paid D2,575,000 for a secondhand car. In contravention of the Income and Value Added Tax Act, the payment was made without the required 10% withholding tax reduction. The amount paid, according to the auditors, was equivalent to the market price of a brand-new, 4×4 double-cabin truck from an authorized dealer, which normally includes after-sales care and a manufacturer’s warranty.
A used car was purchased from Ansu Auto Service for GMD 2,575,000.00, however the 10% withholding tax was not deducted as required. The Income and Value Added Tax Act has been violated by this. As of 2023, this amount is roughly within the market price range for a brand-new, double-cabin 4×4 pickup vehicle from an authorized dealer, which would normally include a manufacturer’s warranty, after-sales service, and guaranteed quality if OP had used it, according to a market survey the audit team conducted.
