By Dawda Baldeh
At the Abuko Central Abattoir, which is operated by the Gambia Livestock Marketing Agency (GLMA), 21 out of 40 staff members, including the manager, have expressed concerns regarding the “suspicious” termination of their contracts, along with allegations of misconduct and corruption within the management of GLMA.
However, GLMA has remained silent in response to the claims.
Maddy Kuyateh, the Abattoir Manager, shared his grievances with journalists, accusing GLMA of terminating their contracts without due process.
Kuyateh, appointed by the Ministry of Agriculture in 2022, detailed the positive changes he implemented at the abattoir, including structural reforms and financial improvements.
However, he was taken aback when he received a letter from GLMA’s director stating his contract had ended, with only a two-month extension provided to vacate his position.
“I was appointed by the Ministry of Agriculture in 2022, and I also appointed my staff on a yearly basis.
“Every year our contracts are renewed, but unexpectedly, GLMA notified me that my contract was over and that they were offering us just two months to leave. But GLMA didn’t appoint me,” Kuyateh said.
While he expressed no issue with contract termination itself, Kuyateh emphasized that such decisions should come from the Ministry or its designated representatives, not from GLMA, as he was appointed by the ministry.
He accused the GLMA management of having a vested interest in the abattoir’s operations, citing the improvement he brought to the facility as the reason for their interference.
“I took over a dilapidated place, and now GLMA is interested in it. The director of GLMA seems to think he can control everything here. I’ve suffered because of this,” he said.
Kuyateh also highlighted financial management improvements under his leadership, including opening an account for the abattoir, which had previously lacked one.
However, he believes GLMA is now trying to take control of the abattoir’s finances, adding that the staff were not guilty of any misconduct or corruption.
“If they want to investigate us, let them go ahead. We will provide all the information they need because they are our supervisors,” he added.
In a shocking revelation, Kuyateh accused the GLMA Director General, Momodou Darboe, and other senior officials of receiving illicit monthly allowances at the abattoir.
He revealed that Darboe receives D7,000, while two other officials, Sang Marget Mendy (Director of Technical and Field Services) and Fatoumata Sonko (Finance Officer), receive D6,000 and D5,000 respectively.
These monthly allowances were confirmed through a payment voucher obtained by this medium.
The staff’s accusations have raised serious concerns regarding financial transparency at the GLMA.
The affected workers, including the Abattoir Manager, security officers, revenue collectors, and administrative staff, are now seeking redress, labelling the contract terminations as unfair and arbitrary.
Binta Jatta, the Head of Finance at the Abattoir, Abdou Colley, a revenue collector, and Adama Jarju, a senior security officer, all expressed shock and outrage over the decision.
“We are shocked because this is not right. You cannot terminate the contract of 21 staff members without proper consultation,” Jatta said.
Colley questioned the authority of GLMA to terminate their contracts, especially since they were not directly appointed by them.
“Who are they to terminate our contracts when they didn’t appoint us?” he asked, expressing frustration over what he sees as unfair treatment.
The GLMA’s management remains silent on the damming corruption allegations, leaving the affected staff to contemplate taking legal action.
Speaking to journalists on the alleged contract termination, Sang Marget Mendy, Director of Technical and Field Services said the aforementioned staff contacted have ended and they were found wanting of misconduct such as alleged usage of NAWEC cash power and incompetence.
Here are a few questions we put to GLMA.
Journalist: Your office is accused of receiving allowances at the abattoir, what’s your take? Sang: “I can’t comment on this…,” he replied.
Journalist: We have the receipt of these payments. Sang: “I can’t say anything about this.”
Journalist: Why do you terminate the contracts of these 21 staff?
Sang: “This is not termination because their contracts ended, and the positions are vacant.
“They can reapply and if they meet the requirements they will be employed.”
Journalist: You said they were found wanting of misconduct, can you elaborate?
Sang: “They were using D60,000 on cash power which we discovered to be exorbitant. And there were illegal electrical connections to some stores.”
The staff are determined to challenge their terminations in court, with many vowing not to comply with the deadline to vacate the premises, which is set for February 29, 2025.
Kuyateh, who was instrumental in the abattoir’s transformation, pointed to the abattoir’s revenue sources, including cattle slaughter fees, rents from butcher shops, and the sale of animal waste, as evidence that the facility was financially self-sustaining.
He also listed the improvements he spearheaded, such as the purchase of a Toyota pickup, a standby generator, and the installation of solar panels.
With tensions escalating, the next steps in the dispute could lead to a legal battle over the alleged mismanagement, unfair terminations, and corruption within GLMA.
The outcome remains uncertain, but the staff is resolute in their demand for justice and accountability.
