By Makutu Manneh
Ismaila Jallow, the Vice Chairperson and Councillor for Suba Ward within the Brikama Area Council on Tuesday, testified before members of the Local Government Commission of Inquiry that there was no development within the Council due to the incompetence of former Chairperson Sheriffo Sonko.
He accused the ex-chairperson of preferential treatment and causing division within the Council, but concurred that he also failed as vice chairperson of BAC, because of shared responsibilities.
“I failed in my responsibility as vice chairperson because I was never assigned to do any job,” he said. Witness Jallow further informed Commissioners that there was a period when the BAC did not hold general council meeting for over six months, adding that the reason given was that there were no funds available to pay sitting allowances. He said the sitting allowance was five hundred Dalasi, but it was increased in 2023 to two thousand, five hundred Dalasi, under the new leadership. The witness added that this is one of the reasons why there was no achievement in terms of development.
On the issue of the Geology fund, witness Jallow said his Ward has never benefited from the fund, adding that the only allocation his Ward received from the Council was five hundred thousand Dalasi. He said he has used this money to build a market shed for vendors in Brikama Jidda.
When Lead Counsel Patrick Gomez asked him about the ‘Salibo’ allowances they were receiving during Muslim feast celebrations, he said this was not ‘Salibo’ because the Finance Director of the Council told them it was an honorarium. He said some of the members of the market and the finance committees used to go with collectors to help them in revenue collection, but said he has never gone for such an exercise.
Counsel Gomez asked him what he did to receive the honorarium, and the witness replied that he did not go to the field with the committees, but only attended their meetings as an adviser. However, Vice Chairperson Jallow agreed that the allocation of the honorarium to Councilors was unlawful.
On the issue of Councilors boycotting sittings, vice Chairperson Jallow admitted before Commissioners that they were boycotting general council meetings because ex-chairperson Sonko was illegally occupying office following his dismissal from the United Democratic Party (UDP).
He said the following Councilors, Lamin Sanyang of Sukuta Ward; Alieu K. Darboe of Kembujeh Ward; Basseh Barry, nominated member; Bala Musa Darboe of Kafuta Ward; Ismaila Jallow of Suba Ward; MomodouCharrehGibba of Gunjur Ward; Omar Darboe, a nominated member and representative of farmers; Lamin Dibba of Pirang Ward; Ousman Bah of Giboro Ward; Bubacar N. Kanteh of Kartong Ward; SulaymanKinteh of Brufut Ward; MbembaTouray of Lamin Ward; Abbie Bangura of Banjulinding Ward; SarjoSanneh, a nominated member and representative of vendors; Angus B.O. Nyassi of Nyambai Ward and AbdoulieCamara of Bijilo Ward, signed a protest letter addressed to the Clerk of the Council. He said they did not follow due process of the law to secure the removal of the ex-chairperson because the procedure for the removal of a chairperson is provided in the Local Government Act. “Our decision to abstain from the Council meetings was wrong,” he said.
Counsel Gomez asked him if they had not betrayed the people they served by not attending Council meetings for so long, and the witness admitted that they had.
“Mr. Jallow, it is a disappointment that you decided to abstain from meetings,” Counsel Gomez told him and he agreed.
Lead Counsel Patrick Gomez said the best thing for him to do was to follow the law in trying to remove the ex-Chairperson from office adding that it was not right for Councilors to decide on their own, by being absent from Council meetings. The witness in response said the only thing they did was to write to the Independent Electoral Commission (IEC). The witness admitted that they did not follow due process of the law to secure the removal of Sheriffo Sonko, and noted that the procedure for removing the ex-Chairperson is provided for in the Local Government Act, which they did not follow. He testified that their letter was not enough to secure the removal of former Chairperson Sheriffo Sonko, adding that their decision to abstain from the Council’s meetings was wrong.
Sittings continue.
