By Michaella Faith Wright
Mayor of Banjul, Rohey Malick Lowe, has informed the Local Government Commission of Inquiry that she lacks financial authority in the affairs of the Banjul City Council (BCC), placing full control of expenditures in the hands of the Chief Executive Officer (CEO).
Appearing before the Commission on Tuesday, 13 May 2025, Mayor Lowe declared that she merely plays an advisory role in financial decisions at BCC. “The CEO has the exclusive power to make expenditures. I only advise. The CEO and others implement,” she stated during her testimony.
Mayor Lowe presented a six-page written statement and responded to extensive questioning by Lead Counsel Patrick Gomez. Her testimony revealed gaps in documentation, legal knowledge, and internal control measures at the capital city’s local government authority.
She admitted limited familiarity with the Finance and Audit Act and the Financial Manual, stating, “I do not concentrate on them too much because they deal with finance, administration, and audit.” When pressed, she confessed, “I am not a master in that.”
The mayor also acknowledged she could not recall how some nominated councillors were appointed in 2018 and promised to provide supporting documents. She identified four council committees but could not name them all or provide evidence of how members were selected.
Gomez reminded her that the Local Government Act grants mayors executive authority to supervise council operations. But Lowe disagreed, asserting that “mayors in The Gambia have no power” and describing her position as largely ceremonial.
Her testimony highlighted the ongoing struggle between elected political leadership and career administrators—a central theme the Inquiry is probing across councils. Mayor Lowe is expected to reappear before the Commission with requested documents to clarify procedural concerns during her tenure.
