By Louise Jobe
The Governor of the West Coast Region, Ousman Bojang, has denied unlawfully allocating market stores to individual vendors at the new Brikama market. The allegations were made against him and his office by officials of the Brikama Area Council (BAC).
In an exclusive interview with this reporter on Monday 25th March 2024, Governor Bojang while admitting that they have allocated stores, argued that this was done with the consent of a constituted committee chaired by the Governor and included the BAC CEO, Director of Planning, Director of Finance of the Brikama Area Council, Regional Directors for Community Development and National Disaster Management, Regional Police Commissioner, Seyfolu, Alkalos, the Ombudsman, male and female representatives of the local market committee and other relevant bodies that the committee felt were necessary.
Governor Bojang said it is unfortunate that BAC has called the actions of the Committee unlawful, and has refused to work with the office of the Governor to establish the committee comprising some of their members.
‘‘As Governor, I told them to bring their members to the Committee in order to work with the Governor’s office, but they refused and continue to do the wrong thing, no matter what,’’ Governor Bojang explained.
According to him, BAC has a delegated responsibility to build and manage markets, but he argued that the said markets and car parks are built by the Government and can only be managed by Area Councils when the responsibility is delegated to them.
In the case of the new Brikama market, the Governor noted that Government is not attempting to assume the responsibility of the management of the market but all that is being done is asking Council to join the office of the Governor with Government employees and local communities, to allocate stores. He said since they have not been able to do what is required for a year now, they will proceed with their work which includes the allocation of stores. He said they have written to the BAC, but they responded that they will not take part in the exercise.
He claimed the council has been selling forms to vendors applying for stores and wanted to tell the applicants that the Governor is responsible for the delay.
”This is one of the main reasons why they are doing everything to deflect their wrongs and to tell the people they took monies from, that it is the Governor’s fault,’’ Governor Bojang said.
