The ward councilor made the remark during his testimony before the Local Government Inquiry on Thursday. He was the secretary of the Agricultural Sub-Committee at the Brikama Area Council, which he said does not sit regularly,. He also alleged that the Council does not take issues pertaining to agriculture as important and that was why the committee members felt there was no need to continue meeting.
He said they did not hold more than 10 meetings between 2018 and 2023, adding that the Council does not implement any of the recommendations of the Committee.
He testified that he had some of the meeting minutes of the Agricultural Committee. He was asked to bring them Monday (today).
He informed the Commission that he did not benefit from the ward development allocations given by the Council.
The witness was interrogated over the boycott of the council meetings and activities by sixteen councillors, including himself. This happened at a time when ex-chairperson Sheriffo Sonko was expelled from the United Democratic Party (UDP) and the councilors felt that he was not supposed to occupy the office of the Chairperson of Brikama Area Council. Thus, they decided to abstain themselves from attending council meetings for some months.
“This was a political matter. We should not have done what we did. The council matters should not be political. I know that we did something against the law. What we did is not correct,” he articulated.
Councillor Touray also said mining has been taking place in Mandinaring, but decried that they have never benefited from the Geology Funds. He expressed that his ward is supposed to be allocated the geology funds.
He was asked about the Salibo allowance, which he stated was found at the council by them. He later agreed that the payment of the allowance was wrong.
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