By Lamin Kujabi
The Minister of Finance and Economic Affairs, Mr Seedy Keita has presented The Gambia’s Asset Management Policy 2023. The Policy was presented to cabinet during their latest weekly meeting, presided over by His Excellency President Adama Barrow. This was revealed by Lamin Queen Jammeh, Minister of Information.
Introducing the proposal, Minister Keita explained that in 2018 the government, through the Accountant General’s Department, formulated its first strategic plan 2019-2023, in order to enhance efficiency in the Accountant General’s Department’s execution of its mandate including the management of assets in accordance with the applicable laws.
He said fixed assets are the largest components in the government asset portfolio and therefore giving its significance of the Accountant General Department deemed it necessary to come up with a policy guideline that will ensure the effective management of government assets.
Minister Keita further indicated that the purpose of this policy is to establish a structure for decision making, planning and control over the acquisition, use maintenance, safeguarding, disposal of assets, to maximise their service delivery potential and benefit, to maximise the risk and cost related to them over their entire lives.
This, the Minister added will enhance transparency, accountability, ownership, proper management and the disposal of asset to facilitate the availability of comprehensive and updated information on the asset.
He informed the cabinet that the scope of this policy covers all tangible and intangible and financial assets belonging to the government of The Gambia and applicable to all entities, ministries, departments, agencies, local government authorities, state own enterprises, semi-autonomous, autonomous, subvented institutions, donor-funded projects and all fixed assets.