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Momodou
Denmark
11634 Posts |
 Posted - 07 Feb 2019 : 21:16:33
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BCC Task Force Presents Report
Foroyaa: February 7, 2019
By Ndey Sowe & Awa Touray
http://foroyaa.gm/bcc-task-force-presents-report/
The Banjul City Council (BCC), on Tuesday February 5th 2019, received a report of the Task Force on the BCC. A Task Force was constituted in June 2018 to investigate previous administrations of Council and make recommendations that is expected to usher in long term improvements and consolidate the positive gains of the present administration.
According to authorities, the Task Force reviewed documents including policies, financial statements, staff files, Council minutes and reports; that they also conducted assets verification and field exercises accompanying collectors on the job. But most importantly, they interviewed and held discussions with management and staff of Council in order to clarify findings.
The Task Force is also said to have focused on the operational and financial management of Council, and came up with recommendations that will address all financial challenges at the BCC.
“The task force made interim recommendations on six occasions to the city council on issues they felt required urgent attention,” BCC authorities said.
Abdoulie Jallow, the Chairperson of the BCC Task Force Committee, said they were provided with the management accounts from 1st January 2015 to 30th June 2018; that according to the accounts, BCC reported surpluses of D920,326 in 2015; D3,013,723 in 2016; D3,589,284 in 2017 and D5,966,656 up to end June 2018.
Jallow said the management of BCC was able to provide evidence of the surplus in bank statements given that Council was operating a cash based system, and were able to reconcile the submission; but that the whereabouts of over D4.3 million could not be explained.
“With close and critical monitoring of the financial management malpractices, the Task Force uncovered deep rooted weaknesses characterized by the unjustified daily disbursements of fuel allocations, irrespective of transport allowances paid monthly to senior managers,” he asserted.
Jallow further disclosed that the Task Force uncovered sitting allowances were paid to staff for internal committee meetings.
In addition Jallow said waste and abuse of resources at the BCC was institutionalized; that there was unjustified and dubious spending on spare parts totally D1.4 million, between January and May 2018, before the assumption of office of the current Major. He said this was at the time when council had most of its vehicles off the road. He added that the system put in place at the council for revenue collection is inefficient and provides loopholes for fraud.
“Within two months, between July and August 2018, D2 million was collected moving Council from an average of D615,196 to D989,220 monthly,” he asserted.
Jallow said Council has not been collecting rents from the craft market since 2012, resulting in revenue loss of about D3, 614,550 as at 31st march 2018; that the management of Council saw this as negligence in their duties, because they cannot provide any plausible explanation for non-collection of these owed funds.
“It was observed that within a period of 5 months, there was fuel consumption of D1,306,320.00 and spare parts cost for maintenance amounted to D1,472.375.00. This is of grave concern and should be addressed immediately,” he said.
Jallow further disclosed that there were payments made without documents amounting to D816, 600, and there was further purchase of spare parts amounting to D1,400,000 within five months.
“There was an internal audit query on the supply of three mobile phones amounting to D109, 000 for the interim Chairperson, CEO, and Director of Finance,” he said.
He opined that this is came at a time when Council was being managed through loans and overdraft from Banks. This he said, highlights the level of waste and recklessness in Council members handling of finances.
Other speakers at the presentation ceremony include the CEO of BCC Mustahpa Bathilly, and the Major of Banjul, Rohey Malick Lowe.
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A clear conscience fears no accusation - proverb from Sierra Leone |
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toubab1020
12306 Posts |
Posted - 07 Feb 2019 : 21:21:42
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"..........but that the whereabouts of over D4.3 million could not be explained." Hmmmmmmm.....
keep digging members of the BCC Task Force .
Who thought of the BCC Task Force,was it the Council itself ,if not, who then ? |
"Simple is good" & I strongly dislike politics. You cannot defend the indefensible.
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Edited by - toubab1020 on 07 Feb 2019 21:24:23 |
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toubab1020
12306 Posts |
Posted - 08 Feb 2019 : 10:34:01
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By Omar Bah 06/02/2019
A taskforce that probed the former administration of Banjul City Council has found widespread corruption and inefficient financial administration that caused the Council unnecessary loss of revenue.
The taskforce which presented its report to Mayor Rohey Malick Lowe on Tuesday following a four-month investigation, highlighted that the past administration was not following Gambia Public Procurement Authority guidelines in procurement and “there was deliberate disregard for procurement processes.”
According to the report, the former administration made unjustifiable payment of salaries to non-functioning, non-performing and non-working employees which include over 40 so-called cleaners at a non-existing abattoir in Banjul.
The report also indicated that payments done from Council’s coffers without supporting documents were worth over D800, 000 and there is an entrenched practice of payment without authorization and missing vouchers.
In addition to loss of revenue to the Council caused by inefficient administration, the report indicated that the current administration has inherited a total liability of over D8, 000 000 to banks and suppliers.
Meanwhile, the current administration which started the investigation has indicated several measures to correct the wrongs of the past administration.
Mayor Lowe said they have already saved over D2 million dalasis for the Council by reducing bank accounts from seven to one.
“Arrears left by our predecessors are being paid gradually… Before the end of our tenure, Council will offset all its liabilities,” Mayor Lowe said.
https://standard.gm/?p=52527 |
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toubab1020
12306 Posts |
Posted - 10 Feb 2019 : 12:56:01
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By Ndey Sowe & Awa Touray February 8, 2019
Rohey Malick Lowe, the Mayor of BCC, on Tuesday 5th February 2019, assured the gathering at the Taskforce presentation that before the end of her tenure, BCC will offset all its liabilities. Mayor Lowe made this disclosure at the Task Force presentation on investigations and findings they made on past administrations of the BCC. The Task Force was constituted in June 2018 to investigate previous administrations of the Banjul City Council, and to make recommendations that will usher in long term improvements and consolidate the positive gains of the present administration.
According to Mayor Lowe, the BCC has maximized its revenue base during her administration, and is making all effort to pay all current bills owed to NAWEC; that arrears left by her predecessors are being settled gradually with a quarterly payment plan with the nation’s utility Company. “There is a set revenue collection target for all revenue collectors which is closely monitored by the CEO,” she said; that they have paid all bank loans as well as the gratuity owed to over 200 people. “Council is taking the responsibility of tracing other gratuity beneficiaries who for the past 15 years, have not been paid,” she said; that BCC is fulfilling its corporate social responsibility by sponsoring ten students from different Constituencies; that six are admitted at the University of the Gambia and the MDI whilst four are about to attend skills training Institutes. “Council is about to provide fifteen storage facilities for vendors at the Albert market, and we intend to do more in this area,” she said; that a Records Office has been established, headed by Horeja Mbye, a BCC staff who has offered 25 years of service to Council; that she will be aided by four support staff to ensure proper filing of staff data and Council assets.
Mayor Lowe said the former Finance Manager was responsible for procurement which she said, is against GPPA rules and is unethical in Council’s operations; that now the procurement unit is independent of the Finance Department and reports directly to the office of the CEO.
“With the available resources at our disposal, Council has purchased a new vehicle for the office of Mayor, to replace the old one which has served BCC for the past nine years,” she said; that with the help of the ‘Taskforce’, BCC has reconciled all Bank accounts and closed seven different accounts held in different banks by the previous administration; that they now operate all financial business with only one bank.
“Banking with seven different Banks used to cost Council over 2,5 Million dalasi on bank charges. Thus dealing with one bank has dropped the charges to a little below 200,000 dalasi,” she said
She opined that a coupon system is now in place for fuel allocation and daily disbursement of fuel allocation has ceased; that this is irrespective of the transport allowance paid monthly to all senior managers.
She cited that BCC has put a stop to embezzlement and criminal act of paying salaries to ghost workers and thereby saving a lot of money; that Council has recovered revenue from debtors and will continue to vigorously pursue others to pay up.
“Council has since December 2018, started collecting rent from the Craft Market. This has not been forthcoming for the past four years because of an Executive Order exempting vendors from paying rent totaling D3, 614, 550.
http://foroyaa.gm/bcc-mayor-promises-to-offset-liabilities-before-end-of-tenure/ |
"Simple is good" & I strongly dislike politics. You cannot defend the indefensible.
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BCC: Task force presents report
