Talib Ahmed Bensouda, Mayor of the Kanifing Municipal Council has confirmed meeting with President Adama Barrow recently amid dispute between KMC and Ministry of Local Government and Lands over establishment of Commission of Inquiry into alleged corruption within the council.
Speaking to Star FM Wake Up Gambia talk show, Mayor Bensouda said: “I cannot tell you all what we discussed but what he [Barrow] told me is that, he [Barrow] wants the developmental work to continue and the conversation was positive.”
He said what they are saying (circulating) that “I went to beg President Barrow to dismiss the Commission of Inquiry is just talks, and yes people own their mouths but when I was going to State House it was in public. I went in the morning because I was tasked by the council,” he added.
According to him, his visits to the presidency came under the request of the council who he said tasked him to instruct the council lawyers to challenge the legitimacy of the commission in court.
“Yes, I went to the State House on Wednesday, we had a council meeting there as everyone hears the issues going on between the Ministry [of Lands] and the Council. And the Council tasked me with two issues which one is, they want us to go to court and challenge the legitimacy of the Commission of Inquiry because they feel that there are procedures that the Ministry didn’t follow, and they believe what happened is not in good fate and they feel they have an ulterior motive,” he stated.
“So, the council unanimously tasked me to instruct our lawyers to challenge the legitimacy of the commission in court, but also for us to show the government that we are not against them because we are here to work for the people of the country and we cannot do that beyond the government,” he disclosed.
He called on Gambians to unite saying The Gambia is a small country where everybody is related to each other.