By: Fatou Krubally
Two former top officials of the Banjul City Council (BCC) have admitted before the Local Government Commission of Inquiry to years of irregular recruitment practices, questionable allowance payments, and unchecked political influence in the council’s financial management.
Appearing on 16 July 2025, former Chief Executive Officer Mustapha Batchilly and ex-Finance Director Momodou Camara revealed that dozens of staff were hired outside the legal framework, costing the council millions and inflating its payroll without proper oversight.
Camara told the Commission that since 2018, the BCC repeatedly hired contract staff without following the Local Government Act, which requires all council appointments to be handled by the Local Government Service Commission. He confirmed that more than 30 contract staff were recruited without performance appraisals or clear roles. A letter he wrote in January 2024, highlighting the issue to the Service Commission, was admitted into evidence.
“The contracts did not follow due process and have drained council funds,” Camara said, adding that many of the contract staff were not adding value to the council’s operations.
Lead Counsel Patrick Gomez turned the spotlight on Batchilly over unexplained staff allowances and expenses. The former CEO admitted authorising a 50% and 25% salary increment but could not immediately account for all details when asked to produce supporting documents.
A travel allowance paid to an aide of the Mayor was also questioned, as it lacked any official invitation or justification for the trip. Batchilly acknowledged that payments should not have been approved without supporting documents.
The Commission also heard how the BCC paid a fixed monthly allowance to a staff member of REFELA, a non-governmental network, without the necessary Ministry approval. That allowance was later diverted to the Rohey Malick Lowe Women and Girls Empowerment Initiative to recover an unrelated loan, an arrangement the former CEO admitted should never have involved the Council’s finances.
The hearing further revealed that a 2018 task force recommended Batchilly’s removal for poor oversight, alongside his former finance director. Gomez asked why only the finance director was dismissed while Batchilly stayed on, suggesting political motives behind the decision.
In closing, both witnesses conceded to weaknesses in compliance with financial regulations and admitted that personal and political interests influenced council decisions for years, issues the Inquiry continues to probe as it reviews local councils’ operations between 2018 and 2023.
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