By: Fatou Krubally
A business deal involving the sale of dustbins worth over D13 million to Banjul City Council (BCC) has come under heavy scrutiny at the ongoing Local Government Commission of Inquiry, with the vendor, Kebba Ousman Drammeh, struggling to account for the hefty price tag.
Drammeh, who appeared before the commission on Thursday, admitted that the cost of the bins supplied to BCC was significantly higher than similar ones sold to other councils. “What you sold a dustbin for, you and I will agree, is way too much,” Lead Counsel Patrick Gomez said during the hearing. “An exorbitant amount.”
Drammeh acknowledged the price discrepancy but insisted that the council had agreed to his pricing. When pressed to produce previous invoices to justify the cost, he claimed most of his business documents had either been lost, destroyed, or stolen during a break-in.
“I will look for them,” Drammeh said, offering to provide receipts and payment evidence at a later date.
He further revealed that the dustbins were not procured locally but from Saudi Arabia. Asked how he managed to finance the bulk purchase with only an initial 10% payment from BCC, Drammeh vaguely referenced a long-standing relationship with his supplier but failed to provide evidence of full payment.
“If you were to purchase over D13 million worth of goods and did not pay, you would not be supplied,” Gomez pointed out, questioning the credibility of Drammeh’s claim.
The commission also heard that Drammeh had no prior contracts with BCC before the current mayor took office in 2018. However, since then, he has secured multiple deals with the council. Drammeh admitted to having a personal relationship with the mayor, who initially informed him of the tender.
“She just told me there was a bid and that I could apply,” he said, adding that the mayor has occasionally assisted him financially and offered business advice, though she holds no stake in his company.
The commission has asked Drammeh to return on Monday with documents proving the payment to his supplier, the unit price of the dustbins, and details of the quantities delivered in phases.