By Omar Bah
The Kanifing Municipal Council (KMC), led by Mayor Talib Bensouda, has condemned the government’s decision to take over McCarthy Square from the Banjul City Council (BCC).
This decision was communicated to the BCC in a letter signed by the Secretary to the Cabinet. In a statement shared with The Standard, Mayor Bensouda expressed his concerns: “The idea that the state’s seizure of McCarthy Square from the BCC is justified due to an alleged lack of resources on the part of the council is misguided and directly contradicts the government’s decentralization policy.”
The KMC argued that the government’s “National Policy for Decentralisation and Local Development (2015-2024)” explicitly aims to empower local governments, promote active citizen participation, and enhance service delivery by devolving both powers and resources to local authorities. “Instead of acting unilaterally, the government should have engaged the BCC in a meaningful dialogue about its planned investments in McCarthy Square. Such collaborative engagement could have facilitated resource sharing or prompted the government to fulfill its longstanding obligation to disburse owed subventions—amounting to hundreds of millions—to support municipal development,” the statement continued.
The KMC emphasized, “While local governments maintain autonomy, their effectiveness heavily relies on being treated as respected partners by the central government. Cooperation, collaboration, and open communication are essential for meaningful progress. Unfortunately, the abrupt seizure of McCarthy Square reflects none of these critical governance values.”
Furthermore, the statement noted that local authorities across The Gambia—regardless of political affiliation—face systemic administrative and governance challenges that hinder progress. These challenges include limited control over human resources, which impedes councils from effectively managing recruitment, remuneration, and disciplinary processes. Restrictions on title over community assets limit development opportunities and discourage potential investments. Legislative barriers to municipal financing impede councils’ ability to raise municipal bonds or secure significant external funding necessary for impactful projects. Additionally, the Rates Act requires central government assessments for property valuations every five years, which have not occurred since 2005.
“I stand firmly in solidarity with Mayor Rohey Lowe, Deputy Mayor Aziz Gaye, and the entire Banjul City Council in opposing this act of executive overreach. Together, we will continue to advocate for the transformational local government reforms essential to building a stronger, more inclusive, and prosperous nation.”
