By Arret Jatta
Bennett Marong, a Nominated Councilor at the KanifingMunicipal Council (KMC), testified at the Local Government Commission of Inquiry (LGCI), on Wednesday, 30th December 2024
During her testimony, the witness narrates that in the first term (2018 to 2023), she was nominated as a women and children Councilor, and in 2023, she was nominated to represent the farmers.
She explained that in her first tenure, she reached out to women through the lady councilors and the councilors of the respective wards, who helped organize the women.
She said the women informed her that they were finding it difficult to dispose of waste because it was expensive and the collection was poor. Some even said they dug holes in their homes to throw the waste because they could not afford the cost.
She testified that she made her presentation before the general council and it got overwhelming support from the council.
The witness also mentioned that she was a member of the Accounts Committee of the Kanifing Municipal Council (KMC).
She testified that the committee was not regular, and also, stated that it is one of the reasons why the committee was not functioning, she said they were discouraged because the people summoned to provide documents and other information would not come.
“It was a problem,” the witness said.
She testified that the Committee always came up with recommendations to the general council, but the Council did not take steps to address the situation.
“I don’t think the Council did enough. If something is not going right, you need to do something about it,” she said
The Lead Counsel Patrick Gomez told her that the Council should have done more to strengthen their committee to ensure that the findings and recommendations of the auditors would be acted on.
“Yes,” she said.
The witness also blamed the Council and the Accounts Committee for what happened, saying something should have been done about it.
The witness said the audit reports were not discussed.
“There are so many audit findings,” Lead Counsel Gomez told the witness.
“It is serious; I was not aware. We should have taken care of it,” she replied.
“But actions were not taken, sufficient actions were not taken. We have so many fraudulent allegations. We have so many cases of cash suppression,” Lead Counsel Gomez said.
The witness agreed and said she was not aware of it and the steps taken by the council.
“The Accounts Committee was dormant,” she added.
The witness was further asked about a solar project costing D615,000 which the payment voucher was in her name, but she denied knowing the contractor.
She testified that it was her friend who knew the contractor, adding that she does not personally know the contractor.
She was handed a voucher dated 7 July 2020, and she identified it saying it was for the payment of the solar-powered project.
The voucher was tendered and admitted into evidence.
The Commission told her that issues of the contract shall be reviewed in detail.