By: Fatou Krubally
The report of the Local Government Commission of Inquiry will be published before end of August, the government has announced.
The report of the commission which investigated the conduct of local councils across the country would be made public alongside a cabinet “White Paper” outlining the government’s response to its findings and recommendations.
The disclosure was made by the Minister for Lands, Regional Government and Religious Affairs Hamat N.K. Bah during a question-and-answer session at the National Assembly on Wednesday.
Responding to a question from Banjul Central NAM Abdoulie Njai, the minister said the commission, established under Section 200 of the Constitution and the Commission of Inquiry Act, had already submitted its report to President Adama Barrow after examining the affairs of local government councils between May 2018 and January 2023.
He explained that government is currently reviewing the report and preparing a White Paper that will provide its official position on the commission’s findings and recommendations.
According to the minister, the review process includes legal analysis of accountability issues in relation to the Local Government Act, Public Finance Act and other relevant laws before policy decisions are taken.
“The Government has taken receipt of the Commission’s report and is currently preparing a White Paper setting out the Government’s considered response,” he told lawmakers.
The minister further informed members that both the report and the White Paper would be tabled before the National Assembly and subsequently published for public consumption before the end of August.
Lawmakers pressed government on whether recommendations from the inquiry would be implemented, citing concerns over previous commissions whose findings were never fully acted upon.
In response, the minister assured members that government remains committed to implementing recommendations in accordance with the law but noted that the implementation timeline would only become clear after the White Paper is completed.
The Local Government Commission of Inquiry was tasked with investigating the management and operations of local councils across the country, making its findings one of the most anticipated public accountability reports in recent years.
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