By Makutu Manneh / Aji Fatou Ceesay
More Councillors from the Brikama Area Council (BAC) on Monday, 2 September 2024, continued to testify before members of the Local Government Commission of Inquiry on ‘salibo’ allowances they received during Tobaski and Koriteh feasts.
The Commission noticed that some Councillors approached the former Chairperson of BAC, Sherrifo Sonko, requesting for support during the Muslim feasts. Some Councillors who appeared before the commission admitted being part of those who went to the Chairperson, but many also denied being part of the delegation.
However, others said they received the money because of the oversight functions they performed as members of the Market and Finance Committees of the Council when they accompanied collectors for revenue collection.
Lamin S. Darbo, a former nominated Councillor representing the Chiefs of West Coast Region, admitted receiving the ‘salibo’ allowances referred to as honorarium by the Council, saying before, he did not know that it was unlawful to receive such monies.
Witness Darbo further told the Commission that for the sake of his integrity, he would not have taken the money if he had known the consequences. He said he was not part of any Committee during his tenure and only attended the General Council sittings.
Araba Bojang, the Councillor for Bantanjang Ward in Foni Bondali, said he received honorarium ranging from five thousand Dalasi to eight thousand Dalasi.
“It is now that I know that it is wrong. Before I did not know that it was wrong,” he said.
Alagie Sowe, also a former Councillor of Jabang Ward in Old Yundum Constituency, said, “It is a norm, and we used to receive this honorarium twice a year.” He informed the Commission that he used to hear some of his fellow Councilors refer to it as honorarium and also understood it from the authorities of the Council as honorarium.
Witness Sowe said he was part of some Councillors who requested payment from the Chairperson during Koriteh and Tobaski, adding that he told them that this was wrong, but he promised to see what to do.
In his statement that was submitted and admitted into evidence, witness Sowe indicated that the monies they received during Koriteh and Tobaski were gifts. The witness said he was the Chairperson of the Agriculture Committee, and a member of the Development, Environment, Health, and Sanitation Committees. He said the Agriculture Committee has been dormant during their five-year term as Councillors and had only three meetings during this period. He said Council does not prioritise the committee and stopped meeting because they felt that it was useless.
Omar Daboe, a nominated Councillor representing farmers from 2018 to date, said he has also received the honorarium.
“I went to the Finance Director to receive my salary and he told me I have another money to receive and this was the honorarium which I was happy to receive,” he said.
“It is at this Commission that I heard from the Finance Director saying that this is unlawful, and I agree that it is unlawful. I have learned a lot from this Commission,” he said.
As a member of the Agricultural Committee, witness Darbo also reiterated that it was not inefficient and non-functional.
Bilal Faal, a former Councillor of Wellingara and Nema Kunku Ward told Commissioners that he received the honorarium from 2018 to 2023, and said it was during a time when he went to receive his allowance that he was informed about; that he received the money because of the oversight functions they performed. Witness Faal added that it was during the Commission that he knew that the allowance was unlawful, but said he has done so many oversight functions for the Council.
“Brikama Area Council has been victimised because of politics and I was among those who were victimised along with the former Chairperson,” he said.
However, the witness admitted that he now understands that the honorarium he received does not have any link with the oversight functions he performed. Mr Faal said he was the Chairperson of the Environment, Health and Sanitary Committee and a member of the development, agriculture and WDC/VDC committees as well.
Amadi Tamba, the Councillor for Sintet Ward, admitted that he received the honorarium. He however said that he does not know why he received the money.
“For me, I will say this was the best time to receive these monies because it is a very challenging time for us, Muslims,” he said. He further informed the Commission that he has benefited from a Ward allocation amounting to five hundred thousand Dalasi. The witness said he wanted to build a market, but realized that the money given to him could not build the market, adding that he then proposed to build a garage instead, and said the garage would be completed soon. The witness testified that he was part of the development and environment committees and the foreign and integration committee as well.
“99 percent of members of the development committee benefited from the allocation while there are Councillors who never benefited from it,” Counsel Gomez told the witness.
The witness replied that this was because they did not meet the criteria, and said there was also a conflict of interest.
Witness Tamba said his Ward has never benefited from the geology fund, adding that his Ward is indirectly affected by mining.
