Public Accounts and Public Enterprises committees (PAC and PEC) of the National Assembly have asked the National Youth Service Scheme (NYSS) to recover outstanding loans of D740, 526.
The loans were noted in 20 files examined by the auditors. Pa Majagne Ndow, an auditor at National Audit Office, told deputies in Parliament that majority of NYSS corps have not paid their loans for two years.
He said there is the possibility that some of the loans will not be recovered, which could lead to a shortage of funds to disburse to other members. He recommended that efforts to recover the loans should be intensified.
Edward B. Wright, NYSS Principal Accountant, said they noted the auditors’ concern and are still pursuing with utmost effort to recover the outstanding monies.
“We wrote to the Attorney General Chambers for legal advice, we are still waiting for their response,” Mr Wright said. “We [have also] submitted the profiles and list of defaulters to the PAC/PEC committees as per their request to intervene or help in the recovery.”
Hon. Bafaye Saidykhan, member for Jarra East, stressed that monies cannot be given to people as loans, and at the end of the day recovery becomes a challenge. “These are public monies, so if you borrow, it should be paid back for others to benefit,” he said.
Hon. Fatou Mbye, Deputy Speaker said loans must be paid. Alhagie Mbye Chow, Chairman of NYSS, said they will work hard to ensure that the loans are recovered or guarantors are brought to book.
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Swimming with sharks..too dangerous!!!