By Makutu Manneh
Kemo Fatty, the founder of the environmental advocacy group Green-Up Gambia, told the Local Government Commission of Inquiry on Monday that he received no payment for developing a key concept note tied to the Banjul-Ostend CityLink project, an initiative aimed at transforming the capital into a greener and cleaner city.
Fatty’s written statement, dated August 21, 2023, was admitted into evidence during the ongoing investigation into the financial and administrative dealings of local government councils across The Gambia. The Commission, established to examine the operations of councils from May 2018 to January 2023, is tasked with promoting transparency and accountability in the use of public resources.
Fatty said he was introduced to the CityLink project by a collaborator identified only as Peter. Together, they worked on a project proposal aimed at securing funding under a European Union initiative. Fatty said he was responsible for drafting a concept note outlining the vision to make Banjul a “Green City.” The proposal was sent to Peter and a contact in Banjul, whose identity was not specified.
The concept, according to Fatty, included environmental protection strategies such as coastal defense stretching from Banjul to Kartong—an 84-kilometre stretch—along with cleanliness initiatives and educational outreach.
“We envisioned a green club programme to engage schoolchildren and raise awareness about keeping the city clean,” he said.
The witness told the Commission that while the Banjul City Council (BCC) was the project’s main implementing agency, his role was largely informal and advisory. He recalled being invited on one occasion to provide technical guidance and was paid approximately D3,000 for participating in a one-day session. “There was no payment for the concept note. None at all,” Fatty emphasized.
He said he was uncertain whether any formal contract had been signed between him and the BCC, and reiterated that his motivation was to help the council benefit from the EU opportunity.
The Commission continues to hear from witnesses as it investigates how the CityLink Banjul-Ostend partnership project was initiated, funded, and implemented.
