By Nicholas Bass
Following several allegations of corruption at Brikama Area Council against CEO Modou Jonga and the Director of Finance Alagie Jeng, the Office of the Establishment and Appointment sub-Committee announced the appointment of two new signatories to the council’s accounts.
It could be recalled that BAC on 10th October 2023, passed a resolution against CEO Jonga after the suspension of Director of Finance, Alagie Jeng.
The chairperson of the Establishment and Appointment sub-Committee Momodou Charreh Gibba said that Yahya Bah has been lawfully authorized to serve as one of signatories, as the Finance Manager of the council through their unanimous decision.
Gunjur Ward Councilor Gibba told this paper that the new signatory to the council’s accounts, Bah shall execute all duties and functions the general council assigns to him.
Gibba also said that the new second BAC accounts’ signatory Ebrima Sawaneh shall occupy the position of the acting Director of the Administration of the council.
However, Gibba argued that CEO Jonga had claimed that Ebrima Sawaneh was added as an alternative signatory to the council’s accounts since July 2022, noting that Jongaclaimed that adding the same person as a signatory to the council’s accounts was unjustifiable.
But Gibba claimed that the addition of Yahya Bah to BAC accounts was justified, stressing that since Jeng is under the council’s suspension and the council had passed a resolution for the removal of Jonga that makes Bah’s appointment as a signatory to the council’s account justifiable.
He noted that by virtue of Section 13 (2) of the Local Government Finance and Audit Act 2002 ”no monies can be withdrawn from the council’s accounts without the approval of the council”, adding that Jonga has no approval of the council to withdraw any money from BAC’s accounts without the recommendation of the general council.
Meanwhile, Gibba further stated that the council has reiterated that Jonga does not have such approval of the council at present to withdraw any money from the BAC accounts, noting that Section 43(3)(b) of the Local Government Act 2002 states that the CEO of any council is only responsible of implementation of the council’s decision and he/she has no authority to make on his/her own decisions,” as Jonga deluded into believing”.