By Mama A. Touray
Alieu Jobe, Kombo South Youth Leader, also a UTG Student, accused Brikama Area Council of public fund mismanagement.
Jobe in his accusation referenced that “According to the publication of Standard Newspaper on the 1st of November, 2022, the National Assembly Finance and Public Accounts Committee has demanded Brikama Area Council to explain a discrepancy of D9.5 million in its 2021 financial statement and then, the million dollar question is where did the council put our money?
Jobe continued “Our income was over D88 million and according to their bank balances as we speak, just a total of D393, 000 is left in all their five bank accounts where did they keep the balance,” he asked.
Jobe argued that they need to know because the D9.5 million that is supposedly a surplus must be sitting somewhere, and they can’t afford to see their council peddling the taxpayer’s money anyhow they wish.
“The Finance Director bluntly lied before the National Assembly Select Committee on Finance and Public Accounts that the council operates with banks. Therefore, monies are not sitting anywhere but they are all in the banks.
“Since the council works with banks the supposed D9.5 million should have been reflected in the council’s 2021 balance sheets. This is because, according to the council’s bank statement for the year 2021, there is a total surplus of D9.5 million. So, the opening balance should have been D9.5 million but it says D520, 000, and that is a cause for concern,” he stressed
However, he added that as per the Local Government Act, councils are obliged to plow back 60 percent of revenues collected as tax through the initiation of development projects but there is little or no improvement on the lives and livelihoods of people due to ‘blatant corruption.
Meanwhile, he said “When you pay a visit to Brikama Market you would realize that there is a lot of uncollected garbage and dirt which gathers in the market making customers feel uncomfortable to get inside and buy goods. Often than not, these vendors are obligated to pay the tax. What is the purpose of paying without your needs being met?” he questioned.