(Ecofin Agency) - In Senegal, the creation of Radiodiffusion Télévision Africaine (RTA - African Broadcasting) project has been nabbed by the Court of Auditors, who has just publicly released its 2013 report. The institution criticised the funding allotted to RTA by the Posts and Telecommunications Regulatory Authority (Artp), accused of overstepping its mission framework.

The Court of Auditors revealed that, on the order of the previous head of state Abdoulaye Wade, the Artp released FCfa 400 million to fund the RTA headquarters architectural models, designed by Pierre Goudiaby Atépa firm.

The court pointed out that as there had been no agreement from the Artp Council of Delegates, there is no legal basis for the directive given by the president at the time.

Thus, there was no prior financial and technical survey underpinning the RTA project.

Moreover, the Court of Auditors condemns the fact that the fees due to the Pierre Goudiaby Atépa firm were increased from FCfa400 million to FCfa1.4 billion. To conclude, the institution requests that the Artp CEO not fund any operation that does not fall within the mandate of the company's mission statement.

The RTA project was lead by Abdoulaye Wade at the time of his presidency. He could "not comprehend that in Africa there was no African television launched by Africans to rival international media". Abdoulaye Wade envisaged the RTA at the "same level" as the tv channel France24, to be heard from "Dakar to the Cape".

The Pan African channel never materialised, despite Abdoulaye Wade announcing in October 2010 that funding had been secured thanks to the support of Senegal's allies including Spain, China and India. The new channel was forecast to broadcast in English, French, Arabic and African languages.