By Dawda Baldeh
Former Banjul City Council member Momodou Camara and 27 staff members have been placed on administrative leave by the Local Government Service Commission due to financial concerns raised in a recent audit report.
In a statement obtained by The Fatu Network medium, the Ministry of Lands, and Local Government has written to the Inspector General of Police and copied the Local Government Service Commission seeking immediate investigation into the matter.
The implicated officers have also been ordered to hand over their responsibilities.
“The commission has decided to send Momodou Camara, the Finance Director at your council (currently in Brikama) has been adversely mentioned in the audit report and be placed on administrative leave without fail,” the statement said.
Mr. Camara was implicated in the Audit Findings of the BCC financial year from 31st December 2021 to 31st December 2022 as well as the EU-Banjul Ostende project from 1st January 2020 to 31st April 2024 respectively.
He is also placed on half salary pending investigations.
Meanwhile, the 27 other staff currently at the Banjul City Council have also been suspended from work and ordered to hand over their responsibilities to their deputies.
The implicated staff are Muhammed Cham – Finance/Project Manager, Katim Touray – Director of Planning & Development, Abdoulie J. Corr – Audit Manager, Essaha Sowe – Senior Procurement Officer, Adama Faye – Admin Secretary, Ousman Jobe – City Link Coordinator, Macoumba Sanneh – Council Adviser, Mustapha A. B. E. Sarr – Trade License Collector, Fatou Mbenga – Assistant PRO, Assan Jallow – Auditor, Oumie Darboe – Receiving Cashier, Kaddijatou Penn – Finance Officer, Marget B Samba – Protocol Officer, Alagie Njie – Market Collector, Maimuna Touray – Market Collector, Fatou Joof – Market Collector, Jorjoh Sagnia – Market Collector, Jalika Manneh – Market Collector, Amie Sallah – Market Collector, Ndey Ida Gaye – Market Collector, Oumie Darboe – Main Receiving Cashier, Sarjo Jammeh – IT Officer, Annette Camara – Visibility/Communications Officer, Mbugouma Ismaila Jeng – Field Supervisor, Ousman Jobe – Coordinator EU Project, Momodou Kalleh – Field Supervisor and Timothy Secka – Electrician.
All these staff members have been placed on half salary pending the outcome of the investigation.
According to the commission, the next step will be determined by the outcome of the investigation.
Reacting to the massive suspension, an insider at BCC told this medium that the decision will significantly impact the world of the council.
“I don’t understand why this is happening because there are so many issues that happened in other councils, but their staff were not sent on administrative leave,” the insider said.
