In his testimony before The Gambia’s Local Government Commission of Inquiry, Momodou Camara, the former Director of Finance at Banjul City Council (BCC), alleged that he was forced to authorize a controversial multimillion-dollar payment to a company tied to the Mayor, and was later targeted for removal in what he described as a politically motivated campaign.
The Commission, mandated to probe the financial and administrative conduct of local councils from May 2018 to January 2023, heard that Camara served at BCC briefly in 2021 and again later, during which he was asked to approve a payment of GMD 2.5 million for personal protective equipment (PPEs) to Jida Trading, a company he said was linked to Mayor Rohey Malick Lowe through a personal associate.
According to Camara, he was uncomfortable with the payment and initially declined to sign it, citing weak supporting documents and procedural flaws. “The attaching paperwork was weak, and the protocols were faulted,” he said. “So I told the CEO, if you want me to sign, give me a memo authorizing me to do so.”
A memo dated February 9, 2021, signed by both the CEO and the chairman of the project steering committee, ultimately gave Camara the instruction to process the payment. The document was admitted into evidence.
Jida Trading received GMD 2,268,900 while GMD 252,100 was retained by BCC for withholding tax, bringing the total to over GMD 2.5 million. Camara testified that the goods had already been delivered when the payment was processed but added that Jonas, a project manager from the Austin Banjul partnership and an EU affiliate, had warned him against signing, citing substandard goods.
Despite the warning, Camara proceeded to authorize the payment, citing institutional pressure and formal instructions. “I was new, and I didn’t understand many of the things. But Jonas, who trusted me to be independent, told me not to sign. Still, I signed based on that memo.”
Camara also told the Commission that he was later instructed by Mayor Lowe not to share internal Council communications with the project’s external partners, including the Austin team. A memo from the Mayor warning Camara to stop copying Austin representatives in official correspondence was admitted into evidence. “She told me: ‘Whatever is happening in Council should stay in Council.’”
He claimed that following the PPE transaction and other disagreements, he was eventually removed from his post after councillors passed a resolution—outside of a General Council meeting—alleging that he was responsible for BCC’s financial problems. He described being summoned to the Mayor’s office, where selected councillors signed a resolution on an A4 sheet and were each handed GMD 2,000.
Only one councillor, Sheikh Jaw, refused to sign, Camara said. “He stood by the truth. He told his colleagues, ‘You know this man has done everything for us. You want to bury him for politics?’”
Camara also took aim at former CEO Mustapha Batchilly, describing their relationship as strained and accusing him of being aligned with the Mayor. “He doesn’t work unless there is cutting or planning involved. He was more of a CEO for the Mayor,” he claimed.
The fallout from Camara’s removal included his transfer to the West Coast Region. “They tried to throw me under the bus. But I went to Birkama and survived. Batchilly couldn’t last in Mansakonko,” he said, referencing the former CEO’s subsequent reassignment.
The Commission continues its hearings as it seeks to expose misconduct and promote accountability across local governments.
