Gambia: Inquiry Finds Gaps in KMC Procurements As Three Officials Face Different Outcomes

What the report says

A Local Government Commission of Inquiry has found procurement and financial control gaps at the Kanifing Municipal Council in The Gambia, leading to different outcomes for three former officials. The inquiry covered council activities from May 2018 to January 2023 and focused on weaknesses in price checks, competition and record keeping. The Government has since responded to the commission’s recommendations, accepting some sanctions while rejecting others.

According to the report published by Foroyaa and distributed by AllAfrica, former procurement manager Abdoulie Janneh was referred for disciplinary proceedings after the inquiry said procurement records were incomplete. The commission noted missing written market surveys between 2021 and 2023, a late-starting suppliers list and some verbal advice that was not documented. It said these gaps made it difficult to show that purchases offered value for money.

A second former procurement manager, Fatoumata Saho-Cham, was cleared by the Government after she told the inquiry she resisted instructions she believed were improper. The commission had raised concerns about several KMC purchases, including waste trucks for the Mbalit Project and additional skip bins, but the Government said her evidence showed no personal misconduct. In a third case, former market collector and later procurement officer Yankuba Njie was also sent for disciplinary action, with the Auditor General directed to review under-deposited revenue and recover any loss if records confirm it.

The findings add to broader scrutiny of local government procurement in The Gambia, where public bodies are expected to follow competitive tendering, document decisions and safeguard public funds.