On Monday, July 14, the Local Government Commission of Inquiry interrogated Banjul Mayor Rohey Malick Lowe and former Chief Executive Officer of Banjul City Council (BCC), Mustapha Batchily, about the decision to appoint Macumba Sanneh as council adviser, despite his absence of formal qualifications.
Mayor Lowe stated that when she took office, she communicated to Batchily her plan to bring Sanneh onto the team and requested his advice on an appropriate position. The Mayor stated that Batchily proposed the position of adviser, which she subsequently assigned to Sanneh.
When inquired about the purpose of Sanneh’s advice, Mayor Lowe clarified that his role was political, reflecting the inherently political nature of her office.
Nonetheless, Counsel to the Commission disputed this reasoning, stating, “No, you have already participated in the election and emerged victorious, so there is indeed business to attend to now.” If you seek his political counsel, compensate him with your funds.
Mayor Lowe stated that she would not personally fund Sanneh’s role, emphasizing that the adviser position had been in place before her administration.
Counsel Gomez subsequently inquired of Batchily if the adviser’s role typically encompassed providing political advice. Batchily stated that the adviser from the previous administration offered guidance on political, administrative, financial, and technical issues.
The Counsel reminded both witnesses that Sanneh had previously testified before the commission, acknowledging that he possessed no formal qualifications and was unable to offer financial or administrative advice. Sanneh stated that his role on the council included mediating staff disputes and fostering peace.
Macumba testified here that he lacks qualifications. Macumba is not in a position to provide financial advice. He is unable to provide administrative advice. During his testimony, he stated that he is present at the council to facilitate peace when staff encounter issues.
He further asserted that Macumba did not have the educational qualifications needed to provide counsel to the mayor on these issues, emphasizing that anyone selected for the role should have the appropriate credentials.
Mayor Lowe asserted that Sanneh’s appointment was rooted entirely in political considerations, highlighting his significant contribution as her campaign manager during her successful election campaign.
Counsel Gomez highlighted that although Mayor Lowe had articulated her rationale for including Sanneh in the council, Batchily had also clarified the intended responsibilities of the adviser—responsibilities that were not in harmony with Sanneh’s role.
Counsel Gomez expressed confidence that Batchily was aware of the situation, emphasizing, “he should have known that was not what we were paying the public funds for.” The mayor encounters administrative challenges regularly; if there is a need for an adviser in that regard, it should not be solely based on political considerations.
Batchily indicated that the mayor directed him to appoint Macumba Sanneh, mentioning that she was aware the council had previously engaged an adviser. He elaborated that he and the finance director decided on Sanneh’s salary.
Macumba Sanneh provided testimony before the commission, recognizing his limited experience at the time of his appointment in 2019. He revealed that his total monthly salary and allowances reached D20,000.
