By: Fatou Krubally
Former assistant procurement officer at the Banjul City Council(BCC) Ida Njie continued her testimony before the Local Government Commission of Inquiry on Wednesday, shedding light on a string of controversies that marked her time at the BCC, including political interference, questionable procurement practices, and a suspension she described as unfair.
Njie, who presented her appointment letter to the commission which was admitted into evidence, said she left the council not through resignation or dismissal, but after months of unpaid salary and mounting tension with CEO Mustapha Batchilly.
“There were a lot of correspondences between me and the CEO. At one point, he informed the Local Government Service Commission and I wasn’t paid for three months. That’s when I stopped going to work,” she said.
In her testimony, Njie recounted being moved from procurement to the rate office following disagreements with Batchilly over a D13 million procurement deal for trash bins. She claimed the process violated proper procedures and favoured Kebba and Sons, a company she said was linked to Mayor Rohey Malick Lowe.
“I told the CEO that this should be an open tender, but he said the mayor can’t support anyone who challenges her authority,” she said, recalling a late-night meeting with Batchilly and director of administration Katim Touray, where she felt pressured to comply.
Njie also highlighted an earlier procurement involving mayoral furniture in 2018. She said mayor Lowe directed them to purchase from J-Mart, the same supplier used by KMC, and later raised concerns when the delivery note was signed by a non-staff, Makumba Sanneh.
“I kept copies of the documents as advised,” she said, adding that J-Mart charged D337,410, while Fatima Trading, who met the requirements better, charged D296,000. She tendered invoices and delivery notes as evidence.
Her stance, she believes, led to her indefinite suspension after she cooperated with a compliance team, investigating the matter. Njie also said Fatou Gibba later contacted her mother to ask that she resume work, though no formal letter was issued.
Njie’s testimony adds to a growing list of claims at the commission, pointing to alleged political interference and irregularities in procurement processes at BCC.
The inquiry continues.
