By: Arret Jatta
Lead counsel of the Local Government Commission of Inquiry (LGCI) Patrick Gomez on Monday subjected former KMC rates manager Adama Jammeh to a rigourous questioning about the various contracts awarded to her by the KMC, inquiring whether she won the contracts due to her relationship with Mayor TalibBensouda.
Jammeh said former KMC Mayor Francis Gomez set up the Frago Debt Recovery Agency following her retirement and that the agency was contracted by the KMC to recover its debts which, she said was in millions. She told the commission that she was running the affairs of the company in conjunction with Mr. Gomez. The witness informed the commission that hitherto the establishment of the company, KMC used to outsource debt recovery
Ms. Jammeh appeared before the LGCI on Monday to give evidence as the commission shifted its focus to the KMC last month.
The witness informed the commission that she started her stint with the KMC in 1988 and was confirmed the following year.
Ms. Jammeh was subsequently appointed as rates manager, a position she held from 2007 to 2018.However, she was awarded a two-year contract by the KMC in 2018 as rates manager following her statutory retirement in the same year. She was later contracted by the council on yearly basis and worked there for six years.
Quizzed by the lead counsel about the idea behind engaging her for six years after her retirement, the witness responded that she had the institutional memory of the rates unit.
When counsel Gomez asked Ms. Jammeh about her relationship with anyone in the senior management of the KMC, she replied that Mayor Bensouda is a son of her cousin Amie Bensouda. She denied that it was because of her relationship with the mayor that she was awarded contracts for six years, saying she was engaged based on her experience.
She informed the commission that Frago Debt Recovery Agency is managed by her but owned by Mr. Francis Gomez. She explained that as per their arrangement with KMC, Frago used to take 5% of every collection, adding that the agency is responsible for recovering debts in BakauSanchaba, Bakau New Town, Kanifing Industrial Area, Latrikunda German and Latrikunda Sabiji.
Madam Jammeh adduced that some debtors pay after receiving the demand notes from Frago while others are dragged to the council’s tribunal.
She claimed that Frago was yet to receive any payment from the KMC.
Former KMC CEO Jaja Cham explained to the commission that Adama Jammeh’s appointment was discussed in one of the meetings of the Establishment and Appointment Committee, adding it was agreed that she should be contracted. Jajafurther explained that subsequent renewals of the contract were sanctioned by the Establishment and Appointment Committee. He stated that a tender was floated to outsource debt recovery following which, five companies were shortlisted. The witness said KMC signed agreements signed agreements with the companies, adding that there was a percentage to be paid to each of the companies. He said he sat in the contracts committee when they decided to hire the five companies to collect debt on behalf of the Council. He pointed out that there was a great need for outsourcing debt recovery because the debt was huge.
He explained that one of the reasons for hiring the five companies was for debtors to see new faces and to reduce the workload on the rates unit so that staff could focus on other areas.
“We don’t want to strain them,” the witness said.