Africa-Press – Gambia. Sandigi Njie, Administrative Manager of the Banjul City Council (BCC), testified before the Local Government Commission of Inquiry that all acts of discrepancy or mismanagement within the council are intentional and premeditated.
“Any happening that unfolded at that council is not coincidental. It is premeditated. Everything that happened,” Njie stated.
He further explained that individuals responsible for these irregularities have been repeatedly cautioned and warned, but they continue to disregard established rules, acting independently without accountability.
Njie made these remarks while providing testimony regarding the Banjul City Council’s abattoir project.
He recounted that the abattoir was demolished during former President Yahya Jammeh’s tenure. Following President Adama Barrow’s inauguration, the council requested restoration of the facility and subsequently received approval.
Upon the election of Mayor Rohey Malick, efforts were initiated to reconstruct the abattoir. Njie noted that the community had expressed renewed demand for the project during a President’s Meet the People forum held in Banjul.
“During the president’s “Meet the People” tour, a meeting held in Banjul, the community requested for this abattoir again,” he said.
Njie said the Ministry of Agriculture sent a team to inspect the site, and he was assigned to accompany them. He expressed shock at the current state of the facility.
“Surprisingly, if you visit the abattoir at this point, you will be shocked compared to the amount of resources they said have been invested there. It is seriously dilapidated, the windows are broken down,” Njie stated,
He stated that the project had not gone through the contract committee and questioned how the contract was awarded to Katim Touray. “With the magnitude of money they said is plowed in and knowing that Katim’s area of expertise is draftsmanship. So how he ended up being a contractor, I don’t know.”
Njie informed the commission that, to his understanding, Katim Touray and several others at the Banjul City Council are close associates of the Chief Executive Officer and often operate without oversight. He alleged that contract awards within the council are frequently given to individuals with personal connections to the administration.
Following his inspection visit to the abattoir with the Ministry of Agriculture’s team, Njie said he compiled a detailed report and submitted it to the Council’s CEO.
He presented a copy of this report to the commission, where it was formally admitted and marked as an exhibit.
Njie added that he is unaware whether the report was acted upon by the CEO or management, as he was never called for any follow-up discussions.
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