Further revealing poor coordination, lack of internal controls, and non-compliance with procurement regulations.
The LGCI heard that hundreds of procurement transactions were conducted during this period, many of them through single sourcing without approval from the Contracts Committee or proper documentation.
According to records, in 2019 alone, over 360 procurement activities were carried out, with at least 266 done through single source far beyond the legal threshold.
Former CEO Mustapha Batchilly admitted that most of the procurements lacked formal market surveys, inspection reports, or evaluation criteria.
He stated that decisions on single sourcing were made at the procurement unit level, often without discussion at the management or committee level. Batchilly conceded that while there were rules in place, the Council lacked proper organisation to implement them effectively.
When questioned on specific expenditures, such as payments for air tickets, cleaning materials, consultancy services, and dustbins, Batchilly said most were not supported by tendering or competitive processes. In one case, dustbins reportedly procured at D3,500 each were considered overpriced, with the CEO unable to provide evidence of any price verification.
The inquiry also found that there was no procurement plan in place for 2019, a requirement under the Public Procurement Act. Batchilly confirmed this, stating that while some planning was attempted in later years, it was not effectively implemented. The lack of a procurement plan, the Commission noted, undermines budgeting and accountability.
Mayor Lowe, in her testimony, said that when she assumed office, there was no fully established procurement unit, and she relied on information provided by the CEO. However, internal documents presented to the Commission indicated that procurement officers had been employed at the Council, including Ida Njie, who was later reassigned.
Lowe said she was not aware of the full staffing situation and did not recall seeing some of the correspondence presented during the hearing.
The Lead Counsel questioned the Mayor about her oversight responsibilities under the Local Government Act, especially regarding procurement compliance and the performance of the CEO.
Mayor Lowe acknowledged that she did not always follow up on procurement reports and admitted that Council had not taken action on compliance reviews received from the Gambia Public Procurement Authority (GPPA).
The 2019 GPPA compliance review highlighted that the Council violated procurement rules in over 90 percent of sampled transactions. Despite the findings, there was no record that the CEO was summoned by Council to respond to the issues raised. Both the Mayor and the former CEO confirmed that the report was not formally discussed in Council.
Additionally, the Commission heard that more than D31 million in Council expenditures were unaccounted for, Batchilly said the audit team was not given the opportunity to complete their work, and no corrective action was taken.
Mayor Lowe also said she was unable to obtain key financial records, including bank statements and reconciliations, and that of communication.
Concerns about revenue suppression and irregular rate adjustments were also raised. The Mayor alleged that a former Finance Director unilaterally altered property rates in favor of certain individuals.
She said she reported the matter to the CEO but admitted it was never addressed at Council level. The Commission emphasised that such issues should have been formally discussed and resolved through Council resolutions.
