By: Nicholas Bass
The Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Brikama Area Council (BAC), Modou Jonga, has fired back in defense against an indictment by the Chairperson of BAC’s Establishment and Appointment Committee in –charge of Staff Matters, Momodou Charreh Gibba, of jointly securing a loan to the tune of D 10,000,000 (Ten Million Dalasis) with Finance Director Alhagie Jeng from Supersonic Microfinance in 2021.
CEO Jonga described the indictment to this medium as misleading, baseless and unfounded. He added that , ‘’ on 31 August 2021 the council unanimously passed a resolution to obtain a loan of ten million Dalasi from the First International Bank (FIB), Gambia as financing agreement development projects and to procure furniture for the new BAC complex’’.
CEO Jonga pointed out that after the council was informed of the fruitless attempts he made in securing the ten million Dalasi loan from FIB, Gambia, he (Jonga) and Director of Finance, Alagie Jeng applied for a loan from Supersonic Micro Finance Bank, Gambia and it was granted in November 2021.
Jonga deduced that the ten million Dalasi loan the council secured from Supersonic Micro Bank, Gambia was specifically meant to furnish the council’s newly built complex and to finance projects of the council.
He opined that councilor Gibba at that gave his consent by signing for the loan of ten million Dalasi stressing that three million six hundred and five Dalasi was spent in buying furniture for the council.
Jonga claimed that the council also supported BrikamaNema ‘kabilo’ association with a sum of D450, 000, stating that the council also gave D500, 000 to Sintet Village Development Committee in Foni, adding that other funds were used for operational functions of BAC. He however, argued that it is the duty of the CEO and the Director of Finance of any council to secure loans for the council.
Meanwhile, CEO Jonga refuted the loan, noting that the council unanimously agreed on ten million Dalasi, and ”not twelve million Dalasi councilor Gibba claimed’’. But when Jonga was asked his opinion on his tussle with a group of councils last Tuesday that brought about the intervention of police he said that the matter is at the discretion of the police.
Following heated exchanges and the subsequent seizure of Jonga’s official vehicle by the council, chairperson Gibba, who doubles as the councilor for Gunjur Ward, explained to this medium in an exclusive interview that CEO Messrs. Jonga and Jeng jointly secured the D10M loan from Supersonics, adding that Jonga had informed the council that their proposal for a D12M loan was rejected by the Ministry of Lands and Regional Governments.
Councilor Gibba told this medium that Jonga attached a list of names of councilors, who were present in the proposed loan meeting of the council on 31 August 2021, to enable them [Jonga &Jeng] to secure the D10M loan from Supersonic Microfinance. Mr. Gibba pointed out that before the loan was secured, the council held a meeting on 31 August 2021, adding that the names of councilors, who attended that meeting, were listed down. He said the council proposed to take a D12M loan from First International Bank (FBI) to purchase 12 motorcycles and utility vehicles for BAC staff.
Following heated exchanges and the subsequent seizure of Jonga’s official vehicle by the council, chairperson Gibba, who doubles as the councilor for Gunjur Ward, explained to this medium in an exclusive interview that CEO Messrs. Jonga and Jeng jointly secured the D10M loan from Supersonics, adding that Jonga had informed the council that their proposal for a D12M loan was rejected by the Ministry of Lands and Regional Governments.
Meanwhile, Gibba said the seized vehicle did not belong to Jonga, stressing that the council must protect the assets of taxpayers under its care. He pointed out that the council in its last Tuesday meeting noted that Jonga was abusing the vehicle [BAC1].
He disclosed that after a unanimous decision of the council to seize and deflate the tires of the vehicle allocated to CEO Jonga, a group of councilors carried out the decision by flattening the tires and seizing the keys from Jonga’s driver.
”This is what we all agreed and stood for to protect taxpayers’ money,” Gibba said.
He said one of the brothers of councilor Alagie Jammeh of Brufut Ward was arrested by the police after they were unable to meet Manneh at his house.
Chairperson Gibba said 24 councilors were granted “self-bail” in connection to the vehicle seizure. He said the arrested and released councilors of BAC were questioned by a panel of police officers at Banjulinding Anti-Crime Unit.