BAC Passed Resolution For Chairman or Vice To Authorise Any Withdrawal Above A Certain Threshold
By Buba Gagigo
The Brikama Area Council (BAC) has passed a resolution that only the Chairman of the council or his vice chairman can authorise withdrawals of more than Five Hundred Thousand Dalasis (D500,000.00).
The council resolution made reference to the Local Government Finance and Audit Act 2004 as the underlining instrument for their actions.
“In compliance with Section 13(2) of the Local Government Finance and Audit Act 2004 which states: “(2) No moneys shall be withdrawn from the General Fund Account, or any other accounts of the Council unless the Council has approved the withdrawal.”
The Council, acting on the aforementioned clause, passed a resolution setting a withdrawal threshold for council finances.
“Any withdrawals of funds from any of the council’s bank accounts, which is above Fifty Thousand Dalasis (D50,000.00), must be authorised by the Chairman or Vice Chairman of the Council and any withdrawals of funds from any of the council’s bank accounts, which is above Five Hundred Thousand Dalasis (D500,000.00), must be authorised by the simple majority of the General Council votes of the Councillors, except for salary withdrawals, which they agreed can be authorised by the Chairman or Vice Chairman.”
Quoting paragraph 808 of the Financial and Accounting Manuals for Local Governments Authorities -2009, the resolution stated that “no investment of Council funds from any of the Council’s bank accounts should be made or authorised by any person without the consent and approval of the simple majority of the General Council”.
The resolution also touched on Loan Threshold, wherein the council agreed that “No loan amount of less than Five Hundred Thousand Dalasis (D500,000.00) should be taken or authorised by any person or persons on behalf of the Council, from any bank or financial institutions or private or public companies or individuals, without the prior consent and authorisation of the Chairman.”
“Any loan amount of more than Five Hundred Thousand Dalasis (D500,000.00) Should not be taken or authorised by any person or persons on behalf of the council without the prior consent of the simple majority of the General Council vote of the Councillors.
On the Cash Collection Threshold, the council agreed that
“No member of staff of Council or person affiliated or employed by Council -including revenue collectors and cashiers, are allowed or permitted or authorised to collect or take or receive cash payment of more than D10,000.00 (Ten Thousand Dalasis) for any single payment ticket, invoice or demand notice or receipt for any tax, licence, or rate, which is due to the Council. Any such they said agreed that payment of over D10,000.00 (Ten Thousand Dalasis) should be paid to the Council’s Ecobank account with account number: 628………”
The resolution also set a threshold on Procurement, requiring internal audit oversight of any quotes over a hundred thousand dalasis.
“Any procurement quotes received for anything more than One Hundred Thousand Dalasis (D100, 000.00) must be provided to the internal auditors’ office of the council for assessment, to confirm whether that quotation is the best deal for money for the council to purchase that item or material or good or services for the council.
The resolution went to say that “no procurement of goods and services should be entered into on behalf of the Council with any business entity, individual, company, corporation, government parastatals, etc., without the prior consent of the Chairman and agreed that if the amount involved or value of the contract is less than D250,000.00 and If the amount is more than D250,000.00, without the prior consent of the General council.
The resolution also attached strings to Travel Arrangements that involve Council money when it is agreed that travel cost in excess of one hundred thousand dalasis will require the consent of the Chairman.
“No travel arrangements should be made for any council staff or members without consultation with the Foreign and Integration Committee of the council, and no travel arrangements incurring more than D100,000.00 to the council funds should be authorised without the prior consent of the Chairman.”
As if that is not stringent enough, the Council went further to require more due diligence on travel in excess of five hundred thousand dalasis except in cases of emergency
“No travel arrangement incurring more than D500,000.00 to the council funds should be authorised without the prior consent of the General Council; except in emergency and urgent situations, then the consent of the Foreign and Integration committee will suffice.”
The resolution put forth some penalties for those found in violation of the provisions of the resolution.
Any breach of the Monetary Thresholds by any person working with the council shall be subjected to a warning where the person breached any of the above thresholds for the first time and the funds involved or value of the contract or loan does not exceed Two Hundred and Fifty Thousand Dalasis (D250,000.00).
“If repeated for the second time, the penalty should be a suspension from work without pay for at least a month. If repeated a third time, the penalty should be a summary dismissal or removal from the Council. Where the funds involved or the value of the contract or loan exceeds Two Hundred and Fifty Thousand Dalasis (D250,000.00), the breach shall attract a penalty of one month suspension from work without pay for even a first-time offender.
“If repeated for the second time, for any amount less than One Million Dalasis (DI,000,00.00) the penalty should be a suspension from work without pay for 6 months. If repeated a third time, the penalty should be a summary dismissal or removal from the Council. Where the funds involved or value of the contract or loan exceeds a million Dalasis (D1,000,000.00), then that person shall be subjected to a summary dismissal or removal from the Council,” they concluded