Marri revealed that the 2024 budget for the Mansakonko Area Council remains incomplete, particularly concerning ward development committees' budgets.
In a response to Chairperson Jainba Bah, who asked why the area being administered by the council was filled with so much dirt, Mr Marri cited a lack of manpower as a hindrance to maintaining the cleanliness of the area, the very reason they hire external help at times.
The inquiry exposed irregularities in borehole projects, with Commissioner Alagie Sillah highlighting the absence of proper bills of quantity for contracts. Marri acknowledged the lapse, admitting it was his responsibility as the chief technical adviser to guide contractors appropriately.
“It was a shortfall on my part,” he accepted.
“It means you are responsible?” Commissioner Oreme E. Joiner asked. Marri affirmed.
Chairperson Jainaba asked Mr Marri why he constantly mentioned that they had no funds. She referred him to bank statements of the Mansakonko Area Council, which points to substantial transfers (subvention and car park fees) by the Government of The Gambia in 2020 amounting to over D6.7 million.
Despite being the technical adviser of the Mansakonko Area Council, Marri claimed ignorance of these transactions, stating they were never discussed in management meetings.
The revelation of a failed Darsilami Borehole Project raised concerns. Marri disclosed that the contractor deviated from specifications, using inappropriate materials, such as galavanised pipes instead of VC pipes. The resulting reddish water rendered the borehole unusable.
Mr Marri explained that the Department of Water Resources was not involved in the project until the end, adding that the department later tested the water and informed the council that the water was not fit for human consumption.
“The water was visibly dirty. We advised the villagers not to drink the water and to use it only for their animals,” he said.
He testified that the council was not aware of the problem because the villagers were reporting the problems directly to the contractor and not the council. Hence, he claimed, at the time the council became aware of the problem, the defect liability period had elapsed. This happened in 2023.
According to Marri, the council, nonetheless, engaged the contractor, who told them that he tried to address the issue but could not. This he said prompted the council to spend an additional D300,000 to drill another borehole for the same community last September.
Similarly, issues emerged with the Minnah Borehole Project, where pumps faced problems after three months. Marri testified that the contractor was recalled to address it. He explained to the Commission that the defect liability period was 6 months, and for any problems that happened during this period, the contractor was obliged to return and address them.
The hearing took another turn when Mr Lamin Marri was referred to an audit report by the National Audit Office (NAO) on the Mansakonko Area Council that indicates that the boreholes had problems in providing water and the pumps equally had issues.
Witness Marri said he had never seen or read the audit report.
“You don’t care whether the work you gave to the contractor was duly executed or not,” Counsel Patrick Gomez interjected.
Marri admitted to not fully executing his duties or doing the necessary follow-ups, leading to a lack of proper oversight. However, he claimed that he used to supervise the borehole projects.
“Where is the evidence that you supervised?” Counsel Gomez asked. The witness said he has no report to show that he visited the project.
Mr Lamin L.M. Marri also highlighted that the council's Strategic Plan has expired and none has been developed yet; another revelation that took the already-flabbergasted commissioners aback. The Commission asked him to provide the development plan of the council from 2018 to date.
As the inquiry continues, the Mansakonko Area Council faces increasing scrutiny over its financial management and project oversight, prompting concerns about the overall effectiveness of local governance in The Gambia.
