By: Fatou Krubally
The Licence Manager of the Banjul City Council (BCC), Pa Modou Ndow, faced intense scrutiny on Monday as he testified before the Local Government Commission of Inquiry regarding discrepancies in licensing revenues and fee assessments between 2018 and 2019.
Mr. Ndow was questioned on several issues, including overcharging and undercharging of businesses, inaccurate invoicing, and a lack of clarity around actual income versus projected revenue. Lead Counsel Patrick Gomez pressed Mr. Ndow on his claim that BCC projected and collected D40 million in 2019, questioning how the council could simultaneously have arrears.
During the session, Mr. Ndow acknowledged that some businesses were potentially overcharged or undercharged, as suggested by internal audit reports. He admitted that these inconsistencies may have resulted from assessments made by council staff, including himself and another officer. The audit report noted that several businesses owed the council significant amounts of money, and highlighted valuation discrepancies in license fees assessed by inspectors.
“Maybe some businesses were overcharged, and some were less charged,” Ndow conceded under questioning, though he maintained that he personally could not recall engaging in such practices. He also noted that invoices issued included fees as stipulated by law, but admitted there were instances where fees charged did not align with official licensing regulations.
One notable example presented to the witness involved a business allegedly paying D600,000 for a satellite license, despite the legal rate for such licenses being D150,000 or D75,000 depending on the type. Mr. Ndow said he was unaware of such an amount and suggested those matters fell under the purview of the council’s finance department.
Gomez further challenged the witness on revenue forecasts, arguing that if BCC projected to collect D40 million and did so, there should be no arrears. Mr. Ndow eventually admitted that there were arrears but insisted the D40 million figure was accurate, saying it included all types of trade licenses.
The Commission requested Mr. Ndow to return with a detailed breakdown of income and arrears from 2018 and 2019, as well as supporting documentation.
The testimony raises broader concerns over financial management and accountability within the BCC, with the Commission expected to continue probing further in subsequent sittings.
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