By Makutu Manneh
Ngoro Jobe, the Market Master for Latrikunda Market was on Thursday, questioned about an unaccounted Seventy Thousand Dalasi (D70,000), which the auditors could not trace.
He was questioned during his appearance before the Local Government Commission of Inquiry
The Commission is established to conduct a full and impartial investigation into local government councils between May 2018 and January 2023 to enhance transparency and accountability by reviewing their financial and administrative operations.
It was put to him that the National Audit Office has indicated in their audit report that he has not submitted his 2019 cash book to the internal auditors and he was also not recording his GTR numbers on the CRBR (main book for recording receipt books issued to collectors).
He was given the audit report to see the audit findings against him. After reading it, the witness testified that he has never kept custody of any of the cash books. Instead, he handed them all to the internal audit department. It is his testimony that he had submitted all the cash books he exhausted to the internal auditors of KMC.
“All the cash books I have were submitted to the internal audit department of the council. When this commission summoned me, I went to look for my cash book in the council’s store. I struggled to find them. The place was dusty. I have submitted my 2019 cash book to the audit,” he said.
The witness submitted his 2020, 2021 and 2023 cash books to the commission and these were admitted into evidence. He told the commission that his 2022 cash book is with the investigators of the commission.
Regarding the query that he did not record his GTR numbers into the CRBR book, the witness said he has been doing that. He added that it is not possible to take GTR books from the finance director 2 without signing for it.
“The auditors said what they have seen in your cash book is that you were giving GTR receipts which you were using to collect revenue, but you did not sign for these GTRs. This means that you are not supposed to have the GTR because you do not sign for them,” Deputy Lead Counsel Sunkary Camara told the witness.
The witness replied that whenever he took the GTRs from the finance manager 2, he used to sign for them.
“I am surprised because there is no way that these GTRs can be given to me without signing for it,” he said.
Counsel Camara told him that it seems to be a conspiracy between him and the finance manager because if he cannot show where he has signed for the GTRs that make it illegal.
The witness maintained that he has never taken a GTR book without signing for it because it is not possible to do that.
The witness was told that he will be given the CRBR from KMC to make his own findings because he has to account for the money.
Jobe claimed before the commission that he has always been present at the internal audit office for auditing. He said whenever he submitted his money to the cashier of the council, he would proceed to the internal audit for reconciliation and auditing.
He testified that he does not maintain a market register; he only has a cash register.
“But it is part of your responsibility to keep an up-to-date market register as indicated in your promotional letter,” Counsel Camara said.
He said he does not know about that. He added that he uses his cash books to do the recordings. Counsel Camara told him the market master is responsible for keeping a market register.
Jobe said he used to take from the revenue he collected to pay for the collection of waste. He explained that during weekends when the KMC main office is closed, he used to make payment for the clearing of the six to seven suck way pits when they are full. He said he used to get refund from his superior and he would then proceed to the KMC main office to do the payment to the cashier.
