Africa-Press – Gambia. The Local Government Commission of Inquiry has questioned Banjul Mayor Rohey Malick Lowe and former Chief Executive Officer Mustapha Batchily over serious procurement irregularities revealed in the Gambia Public Procurement Authority’s (GPPA) 2019 compliance review of the Banjul City Council (BCC).
According to the findings read out by Lead Counsel Patrick Gomez, the GPPA review highlighted that BCC conducted 318 procurement transactions in 2019, none of which were through open tender. Of those, 266 were awarded via single sourcing, one through restricted tender, and the total procurement value amounted to three million four hundred and fifty thousand dalasis.
Addressing Mr. Batchily, Counsel Gomez asked whether he had discussed the contents of the report in detail with Mayor Lowe. In response, Batchily said they did not review the report item by item but rather examined its general findings, such as the overall low compliance rate.
“So you just go to the last page of the report where they say the general percentage is low for this year,” Gomez asked. Batchily replied affirmatively, saying, “We do not discuss the content page by page.”
When asked to respond to Batchily’s comments, Mayor Lowe said she could not recall the exact nature of their discussions but acknowledged that they sometimes discussed the contents of such reports. She noted that Batchily would explain how the administration planned to address the concerns raised.
Counsel Gomez further pointed out that Batchily had conceded that more than 90% of the procurement processes were non-compliant, and he questioned the mechanisms in place to check the CEO’s powers. Stating, “Now we want to know how the CEO was checked in his powers. Did the general council review this compliance review?”
Mayor Lowe said the matter was discussed, although not in a structured or chronological manner. She was instructed by the counsel to provide minutes of any council meetings where the report was discussed. She committed to retrieving those records.
Gomez emphasized that the council had a responsibility to thoroughly review the compliance report and raise questions with the CEO to prevent recurring violations.
“So it appears as if the council did not discuss this compliance review to address all these issues. Batchily, were you called at the council level to discuss the compliance review for 2019,” Counsel Gomez asked Batchily.
In response, Batchily confirmed that the compliance report was never tabled or made a formal agenda item at any general council session.
Mayor Lowe also responded to this question, stating, “I have not said anything different from what the CEO said. We did not table the compliance report itself to discuss or make it an agenda but we discussed some of the queries.”
She acknowledged that the council should have examined the report in detail and taken steps to address its findings. Mayor Lowe said copies of the report were shared with councilors, who were encouraged to pose questions to the CEO.
However, Counsel Gomez pointed out that the CEO claimed he was never summoned to respond to such questions. He further pressed the Mayor on whether the proper procedure would have been to formally table the report before the council to enable an informed discussion and possible resolutions. Mayor Lowe agreed.
Gomez went on to stress that the council’s failure to formally engage with the compliance review undermined both its supervisory role and the Mayor’s ability to oversee the CEO. He underscored that repeated procurement violations over the years suggested systemic governance failures.
“Because it is the same problems that are repeating every year. Whatever the explanation or the reason is, the council and the mayor also failed to make sure to address these procurement problems,” Counsel Gomez said.
Mayor Lowe agreed with that assessment.
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