Gambiaj.com – (BANJUL, The Gambia) – Pa Fansu Darboe, the former Chief Executive Officer of the Kuntaur Area Council (KAC), has admitted to flouting procurement regulations, approving unauthorized financial practices, and inflating budget figures during his testimony before a commission of inquiry.

Testifying before the commission, Darboe—who served at the council from 1983 until his retirement in 2020—submitted a written statement dated March 12, 2024, along with supporting documents detailing his tenure. These were admitted as evidence. He highlighted that the council’s revenue base grew from three million dalasi when he assumed office to seven million dalasi by the time he left. However, he acknowledged that staff often went months without salaries before he was able to clear the backlog and acquire two vehicles for the council.

Under cross-examination by Lead Counsel Patrick Gomez, Darboe conceded that KAC Chairman Saihou Jawara was actively involved in the contracts committee, despite regulations prohibiting such participation. Gomez pointedly noted, “It is wrong for the chairman to sit in the contracts committee.” Darboe admitted that the chairman’s involvement was improper but insisted that the practice persisted.

He further revealed that contracts were frequently awarded without a competitive bidding process, with the chairman personally selecting contractors. “The chairman would bring a contractor to us and tell us that he is good for the job. Then we single-sourced the contract to the person,” Darboe stated, acknowledging that due process was disregarded.

When pressed by Gomez on whether KAC followed procurement regulations, Darboe admitted, “No, we were not following the procurement processes.”

In a further admission of financial irregularities, Darboe disclosed that he authorized revenue collectors to make direct payments from collected funds before depositing them into the council’s bank account—an explicit violation of financial regulations. He justified this by citing the council’s distance from the bank and the urgency of some expenditures but conceded that he was aware at the time that the practice was unlawful.

The inquiry also scrutinized budget discrepancies at KAC. Commission Chairperson Jainaba Bah questioned Darboe on why the council projected revenue of 17 million dalasi in one year despite having collected only six million the previous year. Darboe acknowledged that the figures were deliberately inflated.

“We put amounts in the budget just to comply with the 60% requirement. The budget is unrealistic,” he admitted, adding, “The estimations there are very incorrect. We did that just to comply with the law. We know we cannot collect that.”

Darboe’s testimony sheds light on systemic financial mismanagement at KAC, raising concerns about governance and accountability in local councils. The commission’s findings are expected to influence future financial oversight measures in The Gambia’s local government administration.