By Fatou Bojang
During a recent session of the local government commission, Sainabou Matin Sonko, the former CEO of the Kanifing Municipal Council (KMC), provided testimony regarding the mismanagement of funds within the council. Her insights revealed a troubling trend in which payments were made directly to councilors for projects that should have undergone a formal procurement process.
Sainabou disclosed that two significant payments were made to Kemo Bojang, a counselor, without the required retirement of previously allocated funds. She noted that the first payment, totaling D15,000, was issued on December 28, 2020, for training and support for disabled youth. The second payment, also amounting to D15,000, was made on October 25, 2020, for face masks intended to assist the deaf community in communication. “Councilors are expected to retire funds before new payments are processed, a protocol that Kemo Bojang did not adhere to,” she added.
The inquiry focused on the established procurement process, which stipulates that the administration should handle financial requests from councilors rather than being paid directly to the councilors. Sainabou emphasized that while councilors were required to submit appropriate requests, enforcing compliance proved challenging due to the political dynamics. She explained, “When you ask them (councilors) to retire funds, they often respond with ‘we will do it,’ but fail to follow through.”
The council representatives expressed concern about the ramifications of such practices, stressing that direct payments to councilors undermined established procedures and posed risks to accountability and transparency. “This issue has been a longstanding problem, and while councilors received funds directly, staff members found themselves facing embargoes on loans and financial assistance,” Sonko further elaborated.
