By Mama A. Touray & Nyima Sillah
Lord Mayor Talib Ahmed Bensouda on Monday called an emergency counsellor meeting following the Ministry sending the PIU to forcefully reinstall the suspended CEO and Co back into office.
Speaking to members of press, Lord Mayor Talib Ahmed Bensouda narrated tha ” I came to work exactly 7am this morning and found two pickup trucks full of paramilitary officers here at our door, i did my normal salute with my municipal police officers and I asked the commissioner of police what is the meaning of this and why are the police intervention unit here in their tactical gear.”
He continued that the Commissioner said ”according to the commander in charge of the PIU they are to forcefully install the CEO in her office and this is what has prompted the general counsel meeting and as well many guests to visit us today to ascertain the facts and find out exactly what is going on.”
Presisdent of GALGA Landing B. Sanneh said ”We are all compelled to be here this afternoon based on the prevailing circumstances of the issues unfolding this and it is not news to anyone in particular what happened this morning.”
”My mission here with my team is basically the issues that are happening in KMC this days precisely linking it up to the corruption scandal that involved the CEO and some other staff in which case the ministry and the counsel are also at a death lock on some of the administrative matters.” he said.
More so, ”we heard the latest development that involved security forces coming to the counsel that actually hasten our coming here and that also to attend this meeting but behind doors we have been working with all the parties involved including the CEO the Lord Mayor and also the Ministry on how we bring the tension down and have procedures processes and also for the law to take its right course by addressing the matter without, of course, giving unnecessary inform on the social media.”
He therefore urged the counsellors and staffs of KMC to exercise patient and display total decorum to make sure that there is no further, probably, violence or whatever that may link to something that may not be in line with the law or powers.
Landing B. Sanneh thanked Lord Mayor of KMC for given them the opportunity to make a statement on behalf of the family of Local Government Authorities of The Gambia.
President of Gambia Bar Assocaition Salieu Faal thanked the Lord Mayor, too, for allowing him to talk on a matter of public interest, wherein PIU officers under instructions purportedly of the exceutive on a matter that was dealt with by the competent authorities KMC and the Ministry of Interior.
Kemo Bojang Youth counsellor said he have two motions and that is the CEO if seen near the KMC to be sued for trespass and the Ministry to be sued for the disrupting the daily activities of the council by sending two pick-ups full of PIU officers in their tactical gear to the council.
Meanwhile President of the Staff Welfare Association said ”According to the Financial Statement from the Finance Department of the Council since 2014 to date the total amount transacted is D9million as of May 31st the total amount is 17thousand plus which is very disheartening.
”We have seen from the Bank statement that the CEO has acquired a loan of D50,000.00 from the KMC Staff welfare Association D25,000.00 from Agib and D25,000.00 from Trust Bank, her contribution since she joined the council is D700” he said.
He added that the people who have been contributing for the past 20yrs have never enjoyed even D1000. “Our position as staff is let the CEO and Co go and clear that the loan was never acquired in our names because the deduction is given to the bank without our concern.”
He further said ”The money should be paid we lost confidence on the CEO. The incoming committee will sit very soon and write to the external audit to come and audit, and also write to the outgoing committee to handover soon” he said.
