The allowances of lawmakers and staff of The Gambia's National Assembly are set to cost more than D152,714,000 in 2027, according to budget estimates presented to lawmakers by the Minister of Finance. In 2026, the approved amount for allowances is D152,186,000.

The figures are contained in the 2027 budget estimates, which the National Assembly is expected to scrutinise before deciding whether to approve them.

The National Assembly has been allocated a total of D645,887,457 in the 2027 budget. The salary and allowance figures show that while several allowances have been maintained at their 2026 levels, some payments are projected to increase in 2027.

The total salary allocation for the Office of the Speaker and other members covered under the main salary heading is estimated at D56,815,326 in 2027, compared with D57,121,074 in 2026.

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The breakdown includes a fixed salary of D1.8m for the Speaker, D1.26m for the Deputy Speaker, D1,054,026 for the Majority Leader, D994,500 for the Minority Leader, and D50,544,000 for members of the National Assembly.

The allowances account for a much larger share of the lawmakers' benefits. The estimates put total National Assembly allowances at D152,714,000 in 2027, compared to D152,186,000 in 2026.

Among the allowances maintained are the Speaker's responsibility allowance of D360,000, residential allowances for the Speaker and Deputy Speaker of D660,000, and the Speaker's professional allowance of D240,000. The Speaker and Deputy Speaker will also retain a combined D180,000 in clothing allowance, while their telephone allowance remains at D108,000. Sitting allowances for members during parliamentary sessions are estimated at D8.79 million in 2027, up slightly from D8.76 million in 2026. Constituency allowances for members remain unchanged at D22.26 million.

The estimates also maintain D2.1m for responsibility allowances for nominated members, while the Deputy Speaker's responsibility allowance remains at D300,000.

Responsibility allowances for the Majority and Minority Leaders are maintained at D510,000, while basic allowances for members remain at D34.8m.

Deputy leaders will continue to receive D240,000 in responsibility allowances, while chief whips will receive D120,000.

The Clerk of the National Assembly is allocated D240,000 in responsibility allowance and D120,000 in rent allowance. Deputy clerks are allocated D540,000 in responsibility allowances.

Telephone allowances for the Clerk and Deputy Clerks remain at D108,000, while telephone allowances for directors remain at D132,000. Responsibility allowances for directors and principal officers are estimated at D2.784 million. The estimates also include D330,000 in sitting allowances for the Clerk and Deputy Clerks and D100,000 in acting allowances. Drivers will receive D198,000 in heavy-duty allowances, while residential allowances for staff remain at D810,000. Transport allowances for staff are projected to rise from D4.104 million in 2026 to D4.152 million in 2027. Basic car allowances remain at D480,000, while motorcycle allowances remain at D24,000. Professional allowances are maintained at D1.41 million. Skills allowances are estimated to increase from D12.12 million in 2026 to D12.24 million in 2027.

Hazard or risk allowances remain at D786,000, while clothing allowances remain at D1.026 million. Special allowances for staff are estimated at D6.3 million in 2027, compared with D6.264 million in 2026. Other unspecified allowances remain at D21.65 million.

The budget estimates also provide a detailed breakdown of salaries across departments and units of the National Assembly. The Office of the Clerk has one Clerk, whose fixed salary is listed at D819,900.

Three deputy clerks have a combined salary allocation of D1,833,540 in 2027, compared with D1,834,992 in 2026.

The office also has one director, whose salary allocation rises from D468,000 in 2026 to D478,000 in 2027. A senior administrative officer is allocated D374,400, unchanged from 2026.

The total payment for the Office of the Clerk is estimated at D8,180,172 in 2027, up from D7,420,010 in 2026. The office includes units such as procurement and internal audit.

The Legislative Business and Programmes Division, which includes the editorial, reporting and printing units, is expected to have 19 staff in 2027, compared with 12 in 2026.

Its total payment is projected at D5,017,284 in 2027, slightly below the D5,045,820 allocated in 2026.

The Committee Secretariat Department is expected to have 17 staff in both years. Its total payment rises marginally from D4,764,970 in 2026 to D4,776,432 in 2027.

The department includes one director of committees, one principal committee clerk, one senior clerk, five assistant senior committee clerks, five committee clerks and four assistant committee clerks.

The Library and Research Department, comprising the research and library units, has a salary allocation of D4,616,028 for 2027, compared with D4,526,773 in 2026.

The Parliamentary Budget Office is expected to increase from three staff in 2026 to four in 2027. Its salary allocation, however, is projected to fall from D1,648,920 to D1,593,924.

The Finance Department has 10 staff in both years. Its total allocation is estimated at D3,005,964 in 2027, compared with D3,008,753 in 2026.

The Administration and Human Resources Division has three staff and is allocated D1,279,320 in 2027, up from D798,336 in 2026. The wider Administration Unit is expected to have 64 staff in 2027, compared with 63 in 2026. Its total allocation rises from D10,604,577 in 2026 to D10,697,947 in 2027. The Maintenance Department is allocated D4,355,652 in 2027, compared with D4,200,495 in 2026.

The estimates also cover the Fire and Rescue Service, Communications, Press and ICT Department, Protocol, Legal and Procedural Matters Division, Accounts Unit and Internal Audit, among other units.

The figures form part of the 2027 budget estimates now before the National Assembly, where lawmakers will review the proposed allocations before the budget is approved.