By Fatou Sillah
The 2024 Auditor General’s Report has identified a discrepancy of more than five billion dalasis between two key government financial statements, raising concerns about the integrity of public accounts and the adequacy of financial controls.
The National Audit Office said the difference emerged when auditors compared the cash balance disclosed in the government’s Statement of Financial Position with the year-end balance reported in the Statement of Cash Receipts and Payments.
“The discrepancy of GMD 4,860,333,780 between the cash balances reported in the Statement of Financial Position and the Statement of Cash Receipts and Payments implies that financial statements were misstated.”
According to the report, the Statement of Financial Position recorded a year-end cash balance of D9,844,770,010, while the Statement of Cash Receipts and Payments showed a net balance of D4,826,045,830. The unexplained variance—D5,018,724,180—suggests that the government’s financial statements were misstated, auditors said.
“The discrepancy … implies that financial statements were misstated,” the report noted, adding that weaknesses in reconciliation procedures could lead to material misreporting of account balances.
Auditors recommended that the Accountant General investigate the variance and make necessary adjustments to ensure the accuracy of government financial reporting.
In response, management acknowledged the issue. “This is noted with concern, and management is working on addressing this discrepancy,” officials wrote.
However, auditors observed that the difference remained unresolved at the time the management letter was finalized.
The finding is among the most significant red flags in the latest annual audit, underscoring persistent challenges in public financial management and oversight.