Africa-Press – Gambia. The government has announced plans to overhaul its payroll and human resource management system.
The announcement which was made by the Office of the President through the Public Management Office (PMO) followed audit findings that revealed long-standing irregularities in staff records.
Officials disclosed this on Wednesday during a review session with the National Assembly, where concerns were raised over incomplete and outdated data in the current payroll system, which had been in use for several years.
According to the PMO, the database inherited from the Accountant General’s Office contained significant gaps, including missing birth dates and outdated employment statuses, making it difficult to manage retirement, leave, and other staff entitlements accurately.
The Permanent Secretary at the PMO said the government had commenced a comprehensive staff audit and system-mapping exercise to correct the anomalies.
“We conducted detailed process mapping of the existing system, consulted relevant stakeholders, and validated the findings to ensure that the new system will be modern, integrated, and reliable,” he told lawmakers.
He explained that once operational, the upgraded system would automatically generate alerts on expired study leave, prolonged absences, and other critical human resource matters, thereby reducing reliance on manual tracking.
The audit report also highlighted temporary staff appointments dating back to the 1970s, raising concerns that some long-serving employees might be ineligible for retirement benefits.
However, the Accountant General clarified that many of the cases reflected data-entry errors rather than actual denial of benefits.
“Although the payroll database indicates temporary status for some long-serving staff, their personnel files confirm their eligibility for retirement and gratuity benefits,” the Accountant General said.
The PMO further revealed that a nationwide staff census and verification exercise, with support from development partners, will be undertaken to ensure that all active civil servants and pensioners are accurately captured in the system.
Officials said the exercise aimed to align approved manpower with the payroll, eliminate retroactive adjustments, and prevent overpayments or missed entitlements.
Auditors were also urged to cross-check payroll findings with personnel records at the PMO before drawing conclusions, noting that the current system was not fully reliable for real-time monitoring.
Lawmakers and officials concluded the session by stressing the need for sustained oversight and close collaboration between the PMO, the Accountant General’s Office, and auditors to safeguard public funds and strengthen public service management.
The planned reforms are expected to enhance transparency, modernize payroll administration, and address recurring anomalies that have affected the civil service for decades.
