By Amadou Manjang
The Gambia Livestock Marketing Agency would not renew the contracts of twenty-one staff of the Central Abattoir in Abuko, Director Momodou Darboe says.
It could be recalled that Central Abattoir and Gambia Livestock Marketing Agency [GLMA] are at odds over the contract renewals of the former’s staff.
The Central Abattoir staff contracts expired on 31st December 2024 and they were given two-month notice that their contracts will not be renewed raising concerns and allegations.
However, GLMA has already advertised the positions of Central Abattoir staff.
According to the GLMA Director Darboe, new staff will be appointed, and the contractual appointments of the janitors and the drivers will be renewed.
He reiterated the findings of their reports that led to the GLMA Board’s decision not to renew the contracts of some staff of Central Abattoir.
He said that the management of Central Abattoir is not collecting rents from tenants in the abattoir and manure was not collected for sale. He added that the slaughter fees were improperly collected due to security lapses.
‘There was significant leakage in the collection of fees,’ he said.
He further stated that the management of the Abattoir also did not follow procurement rules in their procurement. He said the abattoir procures receipts from local vendors instead of GPPA.
‘They don’t have a procurement officer,’ he added. He said that the Abattoir financial officials do not even know the procurement rules.
He further added that the abattoir was overstaffed and the workers were receiving poor salaries without any allowances. He said these are the reasons for the overhauling of the positions to recruit new and competent staff.
A report prepared by Gentech dated 11 October 2024 as seen by Foroyaa indicated that three shops, a restaurant, and a tent were illegally connected to the abattoir cash-power supply. This claim is refuted by the abattoir electrician and manager.
Another report seen by Foroyaa dated 19 December 2024 prepared by Central Abattoir also stated that there was 99.000.00 rent arrears between January to November 2024.
