National Assembly Committee Directs GPA to Submit Police Report on Suspected D39.15 Million Fraud

By Fatou Sillah

The National Assembly’s Standing Committee on Public Enterprises (PEC) has directed the management of the Gambia Ports Authority (GPA) to submit the Inspector General of Police’s investigation report upon its completion, following audit findings of suspected financial irregularities amounting to D39.15 million.

The recommendation is contained in the committee’s report on its scrutiny of the audited financial statements, management letters, and activity reports of state-owned enterprises for the financial year ending 2022. The report was presented before the National Assembly by the committee’s chairperson, Hon. Lamin J. Sanneh.

According to the report, a special audit conducted by the National Audit Office (NAO) identified suspected fraud totaling D39.15 million, comprising alleged revenue suppression, fraudulent receipts, and unauthorized rent waivers.

“From the review of the fraud report and further discussions with the NAO, the auditors noted that the report concluded suspected fraud totaling D39.15 million,” the committee’s report states.

The audit identified D7.58 million in rent allegedly unpaid on delivered containers, D2.96 million in partially paid rent and demurrage for released containers, and D5.023 million linked to the alleged use of fraudulent D25 receipts to facilitate the release of containers.

It also cited D22.61 million in rent waivers reportedly approved by managing directors and D950,000 in unaccounted rent related to motor vehicles.

In addition to the financial losses, the audit raised concerns over possible collusion among staff in the Rating, Delivery, and Documentation units. Auditors also reported the alleged use of fraudulent gate passes to facilitate the unauthorized removal of containers and vehicles from the port.

In response to the findings, the committee recommended that the GPA Board and Management submit the Inspector General of Police’s investigation report to Parliament once the police inquiry is concluded.

“The committee recommends that the Board and Management present the IGP investigation report to the committee upon completion,” the report states.

Beyond the suspected fraud, the committee also highlighted a number of accounting deficiencies identified during the audit.

Auditors found bank balances of D443,445 held at GTBank and €60,000 at Ecobank that were not recorded in the Authority’s accounting records.

They also identified an unexplained discrepancy of D1,494,353 between the General Ledger and bank reconciliation statements for the GHIB PLC Sterling Account.

The audit further revealed significant inconsistencies in inventory records, with differences between the General Ledger and inventory valuation reports across multiple inventory categories amounting to approximately D102.2 million.

To address these issues, the committee recommended that the GPA Board and Management investigate and reconcile the discrepancies and submit a report to the committee by June 30, 2026.

“The committee recommends that the Board and Management must investigate and reconcile differences between the General Ledger and inventory valuation report and report back to the committee by 30th June 2026,” the report states.