By: Fatou Krubally
The Vehicle Controller at the State House, Famara Saidy Bah, told the National Assembly’s Special Select Committee on Tuesday that his office did not maintain a single master file of all government vehicles.
Instead, he says, vehicle records are kept separately by ministries raising fresh questions about accountability in managing state assets.
Saidy Bah’s testimony came during hearings on the sale and disposal of assets identified by the Janneh Commission.
Under questioning, Bah explained that each ministry submits an annual hard-copy inventory, which his office enters into a computer system. The physical documents are then stored in ministry-specific files. While this provides a record for each institution, it does not create a consolidated list of the entire government fleet.
The lead Counsel of the committee expressed concern that the absence of a central printed file makes oversight difficult. Bah clarified, however, that his office maintains a “fair understanding” of the overall fleet despite the fragmented records.
Lead Counsel also probed how vehicles belonging to security agencies and other special institutions are handled. Bah said these agencies, including the SIS and paramilitary units, maintain their own records but coordinate with his office to ensure inventories are captured in the system.
On the matter of vehicles associated with former President Yahya Jammeh, Bah acknowledged that distinguishing between government-owned cars and those brought into the State House under Jammeh was challenging. He explained that some vehicles were introduced without his office’s knowledge, while others were recorded only when specifically instructed by superiors.
The committee then adjourned after Tuesday’s session and will continue with the testimonies of other witnesses tomorrow. Famara Saidy Bah, however, is scheduled to reappear on Wednesday, 27th August 2025, to continue his testimony, which is expected to clarify the handling of vehicles under Jammeh and further examine accountability gaps in government fleet management.