Even though the millions of tax-payers money uncovered by state auditors to have been diverted to private use couldn’t compare with the money suspected to have been misused by some local councils, the reverberations from the Local Government Commission are enough to make one sit up with concern and trepidation.
Though President Adama Barrow’s administration has seemingly looked the other way when it comes to the damning audit reports, that’ll be no reason enough for anyone to jettison the revelations coming from the JainabaBah-led commission sitting at Djembe Hotel.
The commission’s hearings have embarrassingly taken the lid off the lack of integrity, avarice, lethargy, self-centeredness, gross disregard for public wellbeing, and short-sighted vision on the part of those entrusted with the management of public funds.
What we have so far learned from the commission is the gross indiscipline in the administration of taxpayers’ money.
Unless Mansakonko Area Council convinces us that the council did not procure a bag of rice for D6000 as said at the commission’s hearing, we will continue to be drastically disappointed in it.
We will also be hugely disappointed in Janjanbureh Area Council unless it convinces us that some councillors were not conducting procurements in their wards without presenting any item, invoice, or receipt and without the involvement of the council’s procurement officer as said at the commission.
How about the single-sourcing revelations against the Talib Bensouda-led KMC?
KMC needs to convince its taxpayers that it did not violate the procurement regulations by single-sourcing its municipal bus service.
Previous revelations from the commission about an official of Basse Area Council, depositing D6m into his account are still dropping jaws.
Though just snippets from the commission these and other disclosures about procurement malpractices in almost all the local governments are indeed depressing for the average Gambian.
But while councils seemingly basked in reckless spending of taxpayers’ money, the GPPA did not give two hoots.
This is an indication of inertia, negligence, complicity, blatant disregard for public good, ineptitude, and institutional weakness.
Meanwhile from the LG Commission, The Voice yearns to see the institution of many more commissions such as the COVID-19 Fund Commission, OIC Roads Funds Commission, State House Commission, Public Enterprises Commission, Donor Funds Commission and Embassies Commission among others.
This will make the fight against the theft of public money puritanical and purgatory through and through. No sacrificial lamb or sacred cow in this crusade against graft!