By: Fatou Krubally
The Local Government Commission of Inquiry (LGCI) has uncovered financial irregularities and administrative lapses at the Kerewan Area Council, following testimonies from key witnesses detailing mismanagement, unauthorized cash withdrawals, and staff dismissals under questionable circumstances.
Musa B. Keita, an employee of the council, testified before the commission, shedding light on the council’s weak financial oversight and lack of internal audits.
Keita, a resident of Sancha Sulay Jobe, joined the council in May 2023. Holding an MBA from an Italian university, he stepped into a role that, at the time, had no internal auditor and no record of prior audit reports.
“So, when you came in, there was an empty office?” Lead Counsel Patrick Gomez asked.
“Yes,” Keita responded.
Keita revealed that upon his arrival, he and the then Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Sainabou Martin-Sonko sought to improve financial management after discovering rampant, uncontrolled expenditures. According to his testimony, many payments were made without proper authorization or documentation.
He conducted an internal audit covering February to December 2023, presenting a draft report divided into two sections, reflecting the tenures of two different CEOs. The audit, now under management review, confirmed financial mismanagement within the council.
During his testimony, Keita disclosed that the council operated five bank accounts. Under Martin-Sonko’s leadership, some were closed, leaving accounts with Supersonicz Micro-Finance, Trust Bank, Eco Bank, and Vista Bank. However, irregular financial practices continued, with some staff making direct cash withdrawals from council accounts—bypassing standard accounting procedures that require direct payments to suppliers.
In some instances, employees personally received payments on behalf of vendors, further compromising financial integrity. When asked to provide names, Keita requested a week to compile the list.
At the time of his appointment, Abdoulie Khan was serving as the council’s finance director. Keita is expected to reappear before the commission to provide additional details.
Dismissed Revenue Collector Fought for Unpaid Work
In a separate hearing, former revenue collector Mariama Khan testified about her unexpected dismissal and months of unpaid work.
Khan, a resident of Hamdalai Village in the North Bank Region, told the commission that she worked for the council from 2017 to 2020 but lost her appointment documents in a windstorm. The commission instructed her to retrieve copies from the council.
She explained that she first joined the council as a volunteer in 2015
before securing formal employment in 2017. However, in 2020, then-CEO Seedy K. Touray terminated her contract, citing financial difficulties stemming from the COVID-19 pandemic and a lack of government funding.
“I accepted the decision,” Khan said, but she continued assisting her colleagues in revenue collection for several months without pay.
“I have a passion for the job,” she stated, though she eventually stopped working. Despite her dismissal, market collectors from the Lumo markets occasionally called her for help. “Sometimes I accepted, sometimes I refused,” she said, explaining that she felt she had been treated unfairly.
On occasions when she declined, Alagie Bayo, the Lumo Supervisor, would personally urge her to reconsider.
During her tenure, Khan was responsible for overseeing revenue collection at Kuntaya Market and the weekly Lumo markets in Ndungu Kebbeh and Jamagen. She testified that when she was called to assist after her dismissal, she was occasionally given 75 or 50 Dalasi instead of the usual 25 Dalasi fare.
The Local Government Commission of Inquiry was established to investigate the administrative and financial operations of local government councils from May 2018 to January 2023. As more testimonies emerge, concerns over transparency and accountability at the Kerewan Area Council continue to grow.
With revelations of financial mismanagement and questionable employment practices, the commission’s findings could lead to significant reforms in local governance.