By Makutu Manneh & Aji Fatou Ceesay
The former Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Modou Jonga and Finance Director Alagie Jeng of Brikama Area Council (BAC) have jointly reappeared before the Local Government Commission of Inquiry to give account of the council’s budget from 2020 to 2023.
Lead Counsel Patrick Gomez firstly questioned former CEO Jonga if there were assessments done for the years 2020 to 2023, and he replied that assessments were made by collectors which are submitted to their line Managers and then to the Finance Director.
When Counsel Gomez told him there were no assessments done for these years, witness Jonga disagreed, insisting that there were assessments done by collectors. Witness Jonga asked for time to confirm if there were assessment reports from 2020 to 2023, which was granted to him.
At this juncture, the Finance Director, Alagie Jeng, was ushered in to join former CEO Jonga on the witness seat. The same question was posed to Finance Director Jeng who said there were no assessments done for these periods.
After hearing from Finance Director Jeng, witness Jonga then accepted that there were no assessments done for these years. However, he added that it is surprising to hear the Finance Director saying there were no assessments done. “All these while I was thinking there was an assessment conducted,” he said.
Counsel Gomez told him, “What you should be doing is to do what Jeng is doing, that is to accept when you are wrong. As the head of the institution you know you cannot submit a budget when there is no assessment”.
Witness Jonga has provided the commission with the approval letter from the Ministry of Local Government for their budgets for 2020 to 2022. He did not provide that of 2023 but claimed that the Ministry had endorsed it. The Commission asked him to provide them with the letter. The other approval letters were admitted into evidence.
Lead Counsel Gomez further questioned witness Jonga if he had written a letter to the Finance Director asking him about the assessment or telling him to conduct an assessment.
He responded that he did not, and said he is supposed to write to him informing him about his responsibilities. At this point, Counsel Gomez referred him to the Financial Manual which states that the Finance Director shall prepare the budget in consultation with the CEO.
He agreed with the counsel that without assessment the figures in the budget will not be accurate.
