By: Fatou Krubally
The Local Government Commission of Inquiry on Tuesday pressed the Mayor of Banjul City Council (BCC), Rohey Malick Lowe, and former Chief Executive Officer Mustapha Batchilly over apparent irregularities in how council funds were approved and disbursed to various groups.
Facing a series of pointed questions from Lead Counsel Patrick Gomez, both officials were asked to clarify the role of the Council’s Finance and Accounts Committees, the procedures for appointing committee members, and whether due process was followed in approving donations and sponsorships.
Testifying before the Commission, Mayor Lowe confirmed that BCC has both a Finance and an Accounts Committee and claimed they have met regularly since 2018. However, when asked by Counsel Gomez whether members of these committees received formal appointment letters outlining their mandates, Lowe conceded that none existed, saying councillors are informed of their roles during general meetings.
At the centre of Tuesday’s session was scrutiny of how BCC allocates funds for cultural, educational and community activities. Gomez highlighted multiple payments running into hundreds of thousands of dalasis, questioning whether the correct budget lines were used and whether amounts disbursed matched those budgeted.
One example raised was the council’s D276,550 payment towards the City Carnival’s fifth anniversary. The Lead Counsel asked both officials how the final figure was determined and whether requests for support undergo any independent vetting beyond the Mayor and CEO’s offices. Mayor Lowe said the usual practice is for groups to submit written requests to the CEO or Mayor, who then consults the Finance Director to check if funds are available under relevant budget lines.
Batchilly confirmed this process, but admitted that in practice, requests are sometimes processed urgently, raising concerns about oversight. Gomez pointed to potential risks of poor procedures opening loopholes for fraud, noting that the Local Government Act and procurement laws demand accountability and transparency when public funds are disbursed.
In closing, Gomez reminded the officials that while councils are mandated to support community development, cultural and educational initiatives, this must be done in strict compliance with public financial management regulations to prevent abuse.
The Inquiry continues this week as witnesses are recalled to shed more light on council spending practices and compliance with procurement laws.
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