The discourse surrounding special state funds, traditionally earmarked for high-ranking government officials, has been reignited by former Interior Minister Aly Ngouille Ndiaye. He asserts that before delving into the matter of presidential funds, Prime Minister Ousmane Sonko should first provide a comprehensive account of how the resources made available during his tenure as head of government were utilized.

Tracing the origins of this particular allocation, Aly Ngouille Ndiaye highlighted that Ousmane Sonko stands as the inaugural Senegalese Prime Minister to receive dedicated political funds for his office. He emphasized that, with the exception of the late Boun Abdallah Dionne, most former Prime Ministers are still alive and can attest that neither Dionne nor Amadou Bâ ever had access to such a financial provision. Furthermore, he noted that Sidiki Kaba, who succeeded Sonko in the Prime Minister’s role, held the position for too brief a period for this specific issue to arise in his case.

The ambiguity surrounding the 1.7 billion FCFA

The former minister then addressed the frequently cited sum of 1.7 billion FCFA, a figure often mentioned by Ousmane Sonko himself, yet whose specific allocation period remains undefined. While some speculate it’s a quarterly sum, others suggest it’s an annual amount. Ngouille Ndiaye pointed out that if this allocation were indeed quarterly, the annual total would escalate to approximately 8 billion FCFA.

Moreover, Aly Ngouille Ndiaye corroborated earlier statements made by Abdourahmane Diouf, indicating that the 1.7 billion FCFA envelope was entirely depleted before Ousmane Sonko requested any additional budgetary support. He asserted that the fact that Sonko’s successor at the Primature found no available funds serves as concrete evidence that the first quarter’s allocation had been fully utilized. He presented this observation as a factual statement rather than an accusation.

Finally, Aly Ngouille Ndiaye argued that, in the spirit of consistency and transparency, Ousmane Sonko should have incorporated his own management of special funds into the scope of the inquiry commissions he himself established. He also hinted at possessing further details on the matter, choosing not to disclose them publicly at this juncture.