Though the project was marked completed two years ago, the administration department there only became operational recently and after an internal review exposed major issues, including poor network connections and infrastructure.
Njie said a technical team visited the site, submitted a detailed report to the CEO, and their findings. He confirmed that three official letters were sent to Micro Tech’s Managing Director demanding accountability, but the company never responded. He also revealed the contractor failed to provide basic documents like delivery notes.
A separate technical report from Gamtel, also submitted to the commission, confirmed poor or nonexistent IT infrastructure, no centralized tracking system, and limited network access. Njie added that the project included the use of EU funds, which were not properly managed.
He testified that when Gamtel was later engaged, they deployed a team to assess the infrastructure and discovered expired software and faulty systems. He said if Gamtel had been engaged earlier, the council would have avoided the waste of public funds.
Njie claimed he was initially part of the EU-funded project’s planning but was later pushed aside. He pointed to financial irregularities, including payments that couldn’t be traced properly such as salaries and allowances being paid to the same individuals. He said the EU project nearly collapsed due to poor management.
Audit reports also flagged questionable spending, including at Crab Island, where large sums were used without follow-up despite recommendations.
He further disclosed that BCC paid D500,000 to the IT manager, Sarjo Jammeh, for training using EU project funds. An additional D456,000 was paid for software that was reportedly never used. While some claimed it was installed but later stopped working, Njie said there was no evidence the software was ever functional.
He said Sarjo Jammeh had been absent from council work for over a year, claiming to be ill, yet he continued to earn a full salary.
Njie criticized how hiring decisions at BCC were being made without procedure. He cited specific cases where individuals were hired based on politics, not qualifications. For example, he said Pa Modou Ndow, a high school dropout, was given a position despite lacking the skills. He named others, including Mamulie Jasseh, as politically motivated hires.
He also said that during the recruitment for a new budget coordinator, Ebou Sowe emerged with the highest score. However, Mam Lai Jassey, who is related to the mayor, was appointed instead. When he questioned the then-CEO, Mustapha Batchilly, about this, the CEO responded: “Young man, you don’t understand. My hands are tight.” Njie said he later wrote to the CEO expressing his disappointment over the unilateral decision that went against the committee's recommendation.
He also said the CEO made employment decisions outside his authority just to satisfy certain people, which undermined the system.
Njie also raised concerns over BCC’s year-long internship program, saying it had no structure, no fairness, and no policy backing it. When asked if any policy existed to support it, Njie said no. He called the practice illegal and discriminatory, and submitted a draft policy from 2020 that was never implemented.
On the irregular auction of mayor’s vehicle, Mr Njie testified that the Banjul City Council disposed of the mayor’s official vehicle through what he described as an irregular and non-transparent process.
He said the car was sold at a very low price, with no formal documentation and without the involvement of a disposal committee violating proper asset disposal procedures.
Njie also spoke about the failed reconstruction of the Banjul abattoir, which was demolished during former President Yahya Jammeh’s time. He said BCC invested heavily in rebuilding efforts after 2017, but the site remained in a dilapidated condition.
He submitted a report from a site visit conducted in December 2024 that highlighted structural defects, poor hygiene, waste management issues, and congestion.
He said the contract for the abattoir was awarded to Katim Touray, the head of the planning directorate, without going through the contracts committee. He questioned how Touray, whose background is in draftsmanship, ended up acting as a contractor on such a significant project.
Njie emphasised that the mismanagement at BCC was not accidental. “Any happening at the council is no coincidental but it is premeditated,” he said, accusing officials of deliberately ignoring warnings and acting outside procedure.
He also said that reports submitted to the Ministry about these issues had since gone missing.
Njie accused the mayor of using BCC’s official Facebook page managed by Molamin B. Bah, NAM for Banjul North, to attack him and other staff who raised concerns.
He said “there is now a culture at BCC where staff who speak up are labeled saboteurs” and pushed out of decision-making processes.
Njie closed his testimony with a direct challenge: “Where are the taxpayers’ funds collected over the past five years?”
