National Assembly Calls for Police Probe into D37.4 Million SWEDD Vehicle Procurement Loss

By Fama Keita

The National Assembly has recommended that the Inspector General of Police (IGP) investigate the Project Coordinator, Procurement Specialist and members of the Contracts Committee over alleged breaches of procurement regulations in the acquisition of 14 Toyota Prado vehicles under the World Bank-funded Sub-Saharan African Women’s Empowerment and Demographic Dividend Plus (SWEDD) Project at the Ministry of Health.

The recommendation follows findings by the Auditor General indicating that the procurement was significantly overpriced, resulting in an estimated financial loss of D37.394 million.

According to the audit report, the government paid D5.871 million per vehicle, bringing the total contract value to D82.194 million. However, the contracted supplier, KMF Technologies, reportedly acquired 10 of the vehicles from CFAO Motors at D3.2 million each and imported the remaining units, raising concerns about excessive mark-ups and value for money.

Auditors noted that the losses could have been avoided had the Ministry procured the vehicles directly from CFAO Motors or another authorised dealer rather than through KMF Technologies.

In its report on the audited financial statements of public institutions from 2020 to 2024, the Finance and Public Accounts Committee (FPAC), which was subsequently approved by the National Assembly plenary, highlighted multiple administrative and financial irregularities in the procurement process. The committee cited non-compliance with procurement regulations, poor value for money, and possible conflicts of interest involving the supplier, Project Coordination Unit (PCU) staff and Contracts Committee members.

FPAC further observed that KMF Technologies, the company selected to procure the vehicles, is primarily an information technology service provider and is neither registered as a motor vehicle dealer nor authorised to sell Toyota vehicles in The Gambia.

The committee’s investigations revealed that KMF Technologies purchased 10 vehicles from CFAO Gambia Ltd through AYK Rentals, a process FPAC said circumvented established procurement procedures. It also found that claims that the vehicles had been imported from Mobility Ltd were inaccurate. Instead, the committee confirmed that the vehicles were imported by CFAO Gambia Ltd under a duty waiver granted by the Ministry of Finance and Economic Affairs.

As a result, FPAC recommended that the IGP investigate the Project Coordinator, Procurement Specialist, KMF Technologies, AYK Rentals, CFAO Gambia Ltd and members of the Contracts Committee within 60 days of the tabling of the report. The committee also called for a comprehensive investigation into the alleged overpayment of D37.394 million and urged authorities to recover any misused funds from former project officials and procurement personnel found liable.

Additionally, lawmakers recommended investigations into any undeclared conflicts of interest between officials of the Project Coordination Unit and KMF Technologies Ltd.

The committee concluded that the procurement process failed to comply with both the Gambia Public Procurement Authority (GPPA) Act 2022 and World Bank procurement guidelines, citing the absence of transparent vendor selection criteria and the apparent bypassing of authorised dealership channels.

“The IGP must immediately initiate an independent investigation into the procurement process to identify and hold accountable individuals responsible for the irregularities and recover overpaid funds through appropriate legal and administrative measures,” the report stated.

FPAC also reported evidence suggesting possible bid rigging, procurement manipulation and collusion between the supplier and procurement officials. According to the committee, invoices were issued to the selected supplier before the completion of bid evaluations and contract award procedures.

The committee therefore urged the police to conduct an independent investigation into the roles played by the Project Coordination Unit, Contracts Committee members, CFAO Motors and KMF Technologies Ltd in the transaction.

Beyond the procurement concerns, lawmakers also questioned the allocation of the 14 Toyota Prado vehicles. FPAC found that the vehicles were distributed to the Ministry of Health’s Project Coordination Unit, the Directorate of Gender, the Office of the Vice President, the Education Unit, the Ministry of Justice, the Ministry of Youth and Sports, and the Directorate of Gender Equality rather than to project implementation partners operating in the field.

The committee argued that a proper needs assessment would likely have prevented the allocation of vehicles to offices that already possessed official vehicles, raising further concerns about the management and utilisation of project resources.