During his testimony before the Local Government Commission of Inquiry (LGCI), Sandigie Njie, Admin Manager of BCC, revealed that the project’s steering committee engaged in a scheme to increase their own benefits. He accused them of being closely tied to the CEO, raising serious concerns about oversight and corruption.
“The people implementing the project cannot be in the committee,” Njie stated. “It is not right, and it is a very serious,”
Njie further testified that Kebba and Sons received nearly all procurement contracts for the project, raising questions of favoritism and transparency. He also revealed that auditors flagged the issue, and he personally wrote to the CEO, but no action was taken.
Adding to the controversy, he disclosed that two key personnel Field Coordinators Buba Camara and an accountant named Ndey I Touray were appointed after being interviewed but I was not present and both later resigned under unclear circumstances. Their departures, he said, further fueled speculation about the mismanagement of funds.
“They were only interested in making money,” Njie testified, painting a damning picture of the council’s handling of the EU project.
Sanna Sawaneh, BCC’s Director of Internal Audit, who was ordered to provide the commission with audit findings made by the former director of internal audit, submitted budget estimates from 2020, 2021, and 2023, alongside income statements and audit files spanning multiple years. He also provided his audit reports, including a comprehensive review of 2023 and assessments covering the second and third quarters of that year.
