By: Fatou Krubally
Gambian contractor Lamin Y.F.A. Mboge has admitted to paying a bribe of D100,000 dalasi to officials of the Kuntaur Area Council (KAC) after being awarded government contracts worth over a million dalasi.
This bombshell testimony on Monday has sparked outrage and exposed widespread corruption within the council.
Mboge, the proprietor of Mbulmano Construction, disclosed that councillor Wally Ndimbalang introduced him to the council’s leadership and pressured him to pay kickbacks to secure contracts.
Despite initially resisting, Mboge eventually succumbed to the demands of council officials who insisted on receiving bribes in exchange for awarding contracts.
“It is a collective thing. The chairman, the CEO, and all others are involved. Lamin Kujabi is just the one on the front line, but all others were involved,” Mboge revealed during his testimony, shedding light on the extent of corruption within the council.
The contractor’s admission has shed light on the dark underbelly of local government operations, where transparency and accountability are sorely lacking. The Local Government Commission of Inquiry, tasked with investigating the financial and administrative operations of local councils, now faces the daunting task of uncovering and rooting out corruption within the Kuntaur Area Council.
In a damning statement, Mboge highlighted the detrimental impact of bribery on his ability to execute the contracts effectively, citing the diversion of funds towards illicit payments instead of crucial project materials. This revelation underscores the urgent need for systemic reforms to ensure that public funds are used for their intended purposes, rather than lining the pockets of corrupt officials.
As this scandal unfolds, it serves as a stark reminder of the pervasive nature of corruption within local governance structures. The people of The Gambia deserve better, and swift and decisive action must be taken to hold the guilty parties accountable and restore trust in the integrity of our institutions.