By Kebba A.F. Touray
The Finance and Public Accounts Committee (FPAC) has challenged the Ministry of Finance and Economic Affairs to reduce the cost of borrowing and strengthen the management of the country’s growing debt-service burden.
The committee made the recommendation in its consolidated report on the National Assembly committees’ bilateral engagements on the 2027 Estimates of Revenue and Expenditure, held from 1 to 7 October 2026.
Presenting the report to the National Assembly, FPAC chairperson, Honourable Alhagie S. Darboe, said the committee had identified uneven programme performance, delays in the release of approved funds and other challenges during its engagements with ministries, departments and agencies (MDAs).
The report outlines a series of recommendations aimed at improving public financial management, strengthening accountability and ensuring that government spending delivers better results.
On public debt management, Darboe said: “The Committee recommends that the Ministry of Finance and Economic Affairs take appropriate measures to reduce the cost of borrowing and manage the growing debt-service burden.”
He added that the ministry should submit periodic reports on public debt and debt-servicing obligations to the National Assembly to support parliamentary scrutiny.
The committee also called for stronger domestic revenue mobilisation, urging the Finance Ministry and the Gambia Revenue Authority (GRA) to improve tax compliance, minimise revenue leakages and take the necessary steps to meet the 2027 revenue targets.
“The Committee recommends that the Ministry of Finance and Economic Affairs, in collaboration with the Gambia Revenue Authority, strengthen domestic revenue mobilisation, improve tax compliance and minimise revenue leakages to ensure the achievement of the 2027 revenue targets,” Darboe told the Assembly.
He said revenue-generating institutions should provide reconciled collection figures and justified projections to the ministry and the GRA. The committee further called for greater accountability from public institutions authorised to retain part of the revenue they collect. Darboe said such ministries, departments and agencies should be required to submit detailed statements of their revenue collections and related expenditure to the Finance Ministry and the National Assembly for effective scrutiny.
On budget planning, the committee recommended the effective implementation of Programme-Based Budgeting (PBB) across all MDAs, with clear programme objectives, measurable targets and performance indicators.
“The Committee recommends that the Ministry of Finance and Economic Affairs ensure the effective implementation of Programme-Based Budgeting across all Ministries, Departments and Agencies, with clearly defined programme objectives, measurable targets and performance indicators,” he said.
Darboe added that institutions with unclear outputs, indicators or targets should revise their submissions and resubmit them for inclusion in the final 2027 PBB booklet. The committee also urged the ministry to strengthen expenditure controls and ensure that approved programmes are implemented on time.
It recommended quarterly budget execution reports to the National Assembly, showing the difference between approved allocations and the funds actually released. The reports, it said, should also explain delays affecting programme delivery. The report further called for closer monitoring of subsidies, transfers and subventions, particularly those allocated to agriculture, health and education.
On the use of public resources, the committee urged the government to give priority to essential services and ensure that budget allocations translate into improved service delivery. The committee recommended that the government “prioritise the effective utilisation of resources allocated to essential sectors, particularly agriculture, education, health and infrastructure, to improve public service delivery and ensure tangible benefits for the Gambian people”.
FPAC also stressed the need for regular reporting to strengthen parliamentary oversight of the 2027 budget. Darboe said the Finance Ministry should submit quarterly reports on budget implementation and the status of recommendations adopted by the National Assembly. The committee further recommended that budget entities that fail to meet their programme targets should explain their performance and submit corrective plans with clear deadlines. During the bilateral engagements, the legislative committees requested a combined total of D482,364,001 for the ministries, departments and agencies under their respective mandates, according to Darboe’s presentation.
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