Honourable Musa Cham, PDOIS national assembly member for Serekunda constituency, stated in this interview with AG Radio that the term “Estimates,” referring to the 2025 Budget estimates, might lead to confusion. The term “Estimate” may still apply; however, if we have clarity on our purchasing intentions and the source of our funds, it can no longer be classified as a “Estimate”. The estimate can be seen as the government’s intention regarding their desires, and in this instance, it is addressed at the national assembly. However, it is crucial to understand the realisation of our revenue lines, added Honourable Cham.
Honourable Cham noted that the budget office of the Gambia national assembly worked commendably by providing the approved budget for 2024 along with the “Actuals”. The “Actuals” represent the budget allocations through October 2024. In this report, it is noted that all government ministries, departments, and agencies have successfully utilised 80% of their approved allocated budget, indicating that they achieved their yearly targets, added Honourable Cham.
Honourable Cham stated that Gambia employs a traditional budgeting system known as “Line item,” which he believes is not as accurate as “Program based budgeting.” My understanding is that if you examine the budget and the disbursement rate closely, you will notice that there are specific budget line items established. For instance, if D5 Million was projected for the acquisition of office equipment, and by October only D125,000 had been spent, it indicates that the cost for that office equipment was overestimated, stated Honourable Cham.
Overestimations occur; however, these inflated amounts can also be utilised as virements, meaning the funds can be redirected to a more urgent program. The Ministry of Finance was asked for a virement report, as Honourable Cham noted that several budget lines are affected by virements according to the documents received.
When making a purchase, it is essential to understand what you are acquiring. This is the reason program-based budgeting was introduced: to minimise unnecessary overestimations. Enquired by AG Radio about the estimates for the 2025 Budget. D52 Billion compared to D40 Million last year, marking a difference of D10 Billion, replied Honourable Cham.
During my discussions in the national assembly, continued Cham, I stated, that certain revenue lines have been inflated; for instance, GRA has increased a revenue line from D336 Million to D800 Million. ID Cards inflated from D50 Million to D180 Million will significantly affect the lives of the people. According Honourable Cham, the minister references domestic resource mobilisation as the cause.
According to Honourable Cham, the Gambia government ought to put more effort into building offices rather than renting them. The 2025 Budget estimates is a clear reflection of the government’s program and policies Think about Serekunda; in order to alleviate the overcrowding problem, the government ought to have set aside funds to build car garages. Every constituency needs to have parks and kid-friendly playgrounds constructed added Honourable Cham.
Addendum
The 2025 National Budget of the Gambia presents a selection of noteworthy allocations to essential government agencies.
- D1.84B addressed to the office of the President
- D2.5B directed to the Ministry of Finance
- D2B to the Ministry of Works, Transport, and Infrastructure
- D2.4B addressed to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs
- D11B as a mechanism for debt financing
- D50M allocated for the President’s notably divisive annual engagement with the public
- D945M to the Ministry of Agriculture
- D1.2B allocated for the comprehensive acquisition of new vehicles, encompassing fuelling and maintenance, with D800 million designated for vehicle procurement, D335 million for fuelling, and D105 million for maintenance expenses.
- D74M allocated for the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC)
It has been reported that these high-end vehicles have been allocated to cabinet ministers, senior government officials, and notable figures within the NPP party.
