By Ramatoulie Jawo
The National Assembly Standing Committee on Finance and Public Accounts Committee, On Wednesday, May 8, 2024, reviewed the financial statements and activity reports of the Office of the Ombudsman for the period ending December 31, 2021-2022.
The office of the Ombudsman appeared before the Committee for the presentation of their reports for the said years on Monday, May 6, 2024.
During the consideration stage of their financial statements and activity reports for 2021 and 2022, officials from the Office of the Ombudsman addressed concerns raised by auditors.
The auditors noted that a scrutiny of payment vouchers showed a total payment of GMD 23,575.00 to NetPage for the maintenance of the official website. However, no contract agreement was provided for examination, hindering the auditors’ ability to verify the terms and conditions of the arrangement.
Furthermore, the absence of a formal agreement prevented the auditors from determining the specific terms and conditions of the services rendered.
“Without a service level agreement, the terms of the service may be difficult to enforce, and quality service may not be delivered,” they said.
In response to the observation, the Ombudsman’s management clarified that there is currently no contractual arrangement with Netpage. However, they expressed their commitment to swiftly establish such a framework with Netpage.
Additionally, the auditors highlighted during their review of payment vouchers that an amount of GMD 123,068.25 had been processed without the requisite three quotations as mandated by GPPA regulations.
Consequently, the auditors recommended that management ensure three quotations are obtained for transactions falling within the threshold specified by GPPA regulations.
The Office of the Ombudsman’s management explained that, in many cases, instances of missing invoices occur after payment processing.
“Going forward, management will ensure that GPPA regulations are strictly adhered to and vouchers are correctly filed to avoid cases of missing supporting documents,” they stated.
The auditor observed that, based on a review of a letter marked SL/097/2003/(1) dated June 16, 2003, from the Department of Lands and Surveys, a parcel of land measuring 37m by 30m was assigned to the Office of the Ombudsman. In 2022, a land premium of D11,100.00 was remitted to the Department of Lands and Survey.
The auditors indicated that upon examining the letter, it was evident that an annual land rental fee is obligatory, the specific amount of which is to be determined by the Department of Lands.
“However, we were not provided with evidence, as well as rent calculations made by the Department of Lands. The Office of the Ombudsman was also required to develop the land within 2 years. However, during our visit to the land on June 2, 2023, we noted that the land was still not developed,” they told the committee.
Auditors advised the Ombudsman to collaborate with relevant authorities, including the Ministry of Finance, to ensure the effective use of the land.
In response, the Ombudsman’s management informed the committee that they had previously proposed a budget to the Ministry of Finance and Economic Affairs for the land’s use, but funding had not been allocated. They pledged to intensify efforts to secure funding for constructing a building on the land.
The FPAC Committee members reviewed and accepted the Ombudsman office’s reports. They will compile a comprehensive report for final review, consideration, and approval by the plenary session.