By Makutu Manneh
Aji Fatou Nyang, the main cashier of Banjul City Council (BCC), appeared before the Local Government Commission of Inquiry on Thursday, 20 March 2025, testifying about the issuance of per diem cheques in her name for Mayor Rohey Malick Lowe.
Nyang told the commission that it was a routine practice for per diem cheques meant for the mayor to be written in her name instead of the mayor’s.
“I complained about why they were not writing the cheque in her [Mayor Lowe’s] name or sending it directly to her bank account. The acting finance director, Mr. Cham, told me that since I am the cashier, they have to put my name on the cheque. This is how it was done,” the witness explained.
She stated that after withdrawing the money, she would hand it over to the mayor, who would sign a sundry voucher to confirm receipt. However, Nyang said she could not recall the specific amount of the cheque in question. She added that the voucher was left with the council’s investigators. The issue of per diem payments has been a key focus of the commission’s investigation into the financial practices of local government councils. The inquiry seeks to determine whether the handling of these payments followed proper financial procedures.
Nyang also addressed concerns regarding the council’s annual revenue recovery task force, stating that in 2021, the collections were handled by Haddijatou Jambang, Pa Matarr Ndow, and Jojo Sanyang. However, she noted that by the time these collectors returned, she had already closed from work.
“I don’t know what they do with the money, whether they take it home or what, but these monies don’t come to me,” she said.
At one point, she added, she was called into the mayor’s office about missing funds. She explained that she informed the mayor that these monies were never handed to her, but that Mr. Cham, the acting finance director, had started repaying the missing amounts and had already covered Haddijatou Jambang’s portion.
The witness was questioned about the 2020 audit report, which indicated a cash shortage of 217,488.06 dalasi. However, Nyang disputed the claim, insisting that the amount reflected a surplus rather than a shortage. She explained that when the council’s bank account lacked funds, she was asked to deposit collected revenue to make withdrawals. Since this deposit was recorded on the same day instead of the following morning, it appeared as a surplus.
Nyang also clarified a transaction involving a 100,000 dalasi cheque and 35,000 dalasi cash received from Haddijatou Jambang.
“Haddijatou gave me a cheque for GMD 100,000, and I issued a receipt. Later, she returned with 35,000 dalasi in cash, saying she had both a cheque and cash. Since I had already issued a receipt for the cheque, I decided to issue a separate receipt for the cash to avoid canceling the first one. She told me to wait while she retrieved her cash book, but she never returned,” Nyang testified.
Nyang added that Jambang later came asking for her receipt during an internal audit.
“I checked my General Transaction Receipts (GTRs), found her receipt, and handed it to her,” she said.
The Local Government Commission of Inquiry is conducting a full and impartial investigation into the administrative and financial operations of local government councils from May 2018 to January 2023. The inquiry aims to enhance transparency and accountability in the management of public funds.
