By Makutu Manneh
Ida Njie, the former procurement assistant for the Banjul City Council (BCC), testified before the Local Government Commission of Inquiry, detailing significant disregard for procurement rules within the council.
She revealed that her resistance to these practices led to a strained relationship with Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Mustapha Batchilly, culminating in her working for three months without receiving any salary. Njie explained that although she had stopped reporting to work, she had not resigned nor had her employment terminated.
Njie, who was later reassigned to the rate office, attributed this move to her objections regarding the procurement process, particularly the controversial purchase of trash bins and trucks worth Thirteen Million Dalasi. She claimed that despite her role, she was never invited to the contract committee meetings concerning these purchases. Njie stated that the bidding documents were prepared and submitted to the Gambia Public Procurement Authority (GPPA) without her involvement, leading to the rejection of the request due to improper documentation, lack of a proper procurement plan, and incorrect specifications.
According to Njie, the specifications for the trucks were copied from those of the Kanifing Municipal Council (KMC), which she insisted was improper. She also criticized the management for pre-selecting Kebba and Sons as the supplier for the trash bins, bypassing the open tender process. Njie noted that Kebba and Sons, a well-known business linked to Mayor Rohey Malick Lowe, was consistently involved in BCC procurements, raising concerns of conflict of interest. Despite bringing these issues to CEO Batchilly’s attention, Njie claimed that no corrective action was taken, leading her to be seen as an obstacle within the council.
During her testimony, Njie also discussed the procurement of furniture for Mayor Rohey Malick Lowe upon her appointment in 2018. She recalled being instructed by CEO Batchilly to procure furniture for the new mayor at J-Mat, a company that had previously supplied furniture to the mayor of KMC. Njie stated that when she and the director of finance visited J-Mat, they were pressured by the mayor to purchase furniture from the same supplier, despite concerns over the process.
The situation escalated when Njie discovered that the delivery note for the furniture was signed by Makumba Sanneh, a non-staff member of BCC. After raising the issue with the CEO, she revealed that she had already made copies of the delivery note, which would later be presented as evidence during the inquiry.
Njie also noted that while J-Mat was awarded the contract, it did not meet the required standards, and Fatima Trading, another bidder, offered more competitive pricing. Njie provided the commission with invoices from both J-Mat and Fatima Trading, highlighting discrepancies in pricing: J-Mat charged D337,410, while Fatima Trading’s bid was D296,000. These documents were entered into evidence as part of the ongoing inquiry.
To be continued.
