By Arret Jatta
Marie Senghore, the Managing Director of Bajam Enterprise Limited, disclosed to the Local Government Commission of Inquiry (LGCI) on Tuesday, 29th October 2024, that the Kanifing Municipal Council (KMC) paid D8.5 million to fence the Bakoteh Dumpsite.
“The fencing project was D8.5 million for 1 year which KMC paid, although it was not completed in a year and there was an extension of time given to us, the fencing was completed in 2021,” the witness said.
On the contract for the fencing of the dumpsite, she said she came across a newspaper advertisement for the contract and Bajam Enterprise decided to file their bidding documents.
After submitting their bids, she stated that they waited for some months before they were called by the KMC for discussion.
She added that 3 companies were called separately by the KMC primarily for price negotiation.
“We went separately. The major thing was to negotiate terms of payment,” she said.
Ms. Senghore explained that usually for contracts, the normal thing they do is site visit, but she cannot remember doing it for the fencing project.
She explained that after the negotiation they were informed in writing that they had been awarded the contract.
The Commission requested her to bring the letter and the incorporation documents of the company.
When asked by Lead Counsel Patrick Gomez about the bid security deposit, she stated that she could not remember making that.
When asked for her bidding documents, the witness said she did not keep records.
Lead Counsel Patrick Gomez told her that it was her responsibility to keep records as required by law.
The Commission requested her to bring the account statements of Bajam Enterprise covering from May 2018 to January 2023.