By Makutu Manneh
Lead Counsel Patrick Gomez of the Local Government Commission of Inquiry, yesterday, 3rd September 2024, informed Brikama Area Council’s former Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Jonga that the Commission has noted that the Council spent Two Million, Nine Hundred and Seventy-seven Thousand, Four Hundred and Seventy-four Dalasi on Set-Settal in 2020 alone.
“What do you spend this money on?” the counsel asked. Witness Jonga replied that this is for dumpsite clearing and not necessarily spent on only the set-settal.
“Sometimes you have communities or organizations that will engage the council concerning clearing exercises, this amount will also include the expenditure on the clearing of illegal dumpsites,” he said.
He was asked to provide the commission with the correspondent vouchers regarding this money spent on the set-settal.
Counsel Gomez further asked witness Jonga to provide the commission with corresponding documents and vouchers for expenditures on hiring vehicles amounting to Three Million, Nine Hundred and Twenty-five Thousand, Three Hundred and Ninety-four Dalasi on the hiring of vehicles, loan repayment amounting to Nine Million, Eight Hundred and Thirty-two Thousand, Four Hundred and Forty-nine Dalasi, Thirty-two butut, transport refund amounting to Six Hundred and Fifteen Thousand Dalasi and Three Hundred and Ninety-five Thousand, Three Hundred and Ninety-seven Dalasi ninety-two bututs spent on vehicles, insurance and road tax.
“For all the expenditures for 2020 totaling over Thirty-eight Million Dalasi, we need the corresponding documents and vouchers,” Counsel Gomez said.
On the procurement plans of the council, Modou Jonga said the procurement plans are not meant to be approved by the approving authority (Gambia Public Procurement Authority) Instead, the authority is only informed about the budget.
Witness Jonga said in 2021, the estimated cost for fuel was D6.2 million and the council spent over D10.9 million on fuel while for stationery the estimated cost was D500,000, adding that together over D4.6 Million was spent. He said the procurement plan is in line with the budget.
Counsel Gomez asked him on what authority they were making the purchases, but the witness gave no answer. He agreed that all the purchases were unlawful and that there were no delivery notes to support the expenditure.
He was requested to provide the commission with all the vouchers and supporting documents for the expenses incurred in 2021.
He further informed the commission that the estimated revenue for 2020 was Eighty-Six Million Dalasi. Witness Jonga said in 2020, they spent Nine Million, One Hundred and Forty-five Thousand, Four Hundred and One Dalasi on fuel.
“It is far more than what you have in your budget and far more than what you have in your procurement plan,” Counsel Gomez told Jonga.
He added that Two Million Dalasi was spent on stationery in 2020, but that they do not have delivery notes for all these amounts.
Witness Jonga admitted that in the absence of the delivery notes, it would be difficult to ascertain whether the funds were spent on stationery. He was asked whether they have expenditure statements as required by the Financial Manual. The witness said they did not have it.
Chairperson Jainaba Bah observed that there was no amount put for the honorarium column. She informed the witness that the honorarium was paid, but there was no figure in the budget. Jonga agreed and requested time to find out.
