By Buba Gagigo
Modou Jonga, CEO of Brikama Area Council (BAC), has written to the Heads of Departments and Units at BAC to request that Mr. Ebrima Sawaneh (Acting Admin Director) and Mr. Yahya Bah (Finance Manager) cease withdrawing money for the council without his signature.
The CEO emphasized the contents of a memo dated November 17, 2023, from the Chairman’s office, designating Mr. Ebrima Sawaneh and Mr. Yahya Bah as the sole authorized signatories to the council’s accounts. He pointed out that, Mr. Sawaneh, appointed as an alternative signatory in July 2022, is authorized to sign transactions only in the absence of either the CEO or the Director of Finance. Jonga clarified that an alternative signatory cannot execute a transaction when both the CEO and the Director of Finance are unavailable.
“I write to draw the attention of all Heads of Departments and Units to the content of the 17th November 2023 memo from the office of the Chairman indicating Mr. Ebrima Sawaneh and Mr. Yahya Bah as the only authorized signatories to the accounts of the Council. For the record, Mr. Sawaneh was added as an alternative signatory to the accounts in July 2022 in line with Section 13 subsection (3) of the Local Government Finance and Audit Act, 2004. As an alternative signatory, is only required to sign cheque payments or transactions in the absence of either the Chief Executive Officer or the Director of Finance. In view of the above, an alternative signatory cannot sign a cheque transaction in the absence of both the Chief Executive Officer and the Director of Finance of the Council,” he said.
Furthermore, the CEO criticized the addition of Mr. Yahya Bah as Finance Manager, deeming it unjustifiable and a violation of Section 13 subsection (3) of the Local Government Finance and Audit Act, 2004.
Acknowledging a resolution by the General Council recommending his removal, Jonga asserted that the final decision rests with the Local Government Service Commission (LGSC). He emphasized his current status as the Chief Executive Officer and the singular responsibility for financial duties.
“I acknowledge the fact that the General Council has recently passed a resolution recommending for my removal as Chief Executive Officer of Brikama Area Council but the final decision for the appointment, dismissal, suspension, or any other disciplinary measures against a staff lies with the Local Government Service Commission (LGSC) with the exception of staff on Grade 1-3 which are delegated to the Chief Executive Officer by the Commission. Suffice to mention that I am still the subsisting Chief Executive Officer and there can only be one spending officer for a Council at a time that would be responsible for the due performance of the financial duties of a Council,” he said.
Jonga argued that both Sawaneh and Bah, based on their official roles, lack the expenditure authority as per the Local Government Finance and Audit Act, 2004, and the Accounting Manual for Local Government Authorities, 2009.
In light of these concerns, Jonga requested Sawaneh to cease signing cheques with Bah immediately, reserving that role for the CEO pending a decision from the LGSC. He also directed Bah to cease cheque signing immediately in light of his current position.
“In the light of the above, Mr. Sawaneh is requested with immediate effect to cease and desist from signing cheque for payments with Mr. Yahya Bah in his capacity as Finance Manager and to continue to sign the same with the subsisting Chief Executive Officer pending a final decision from the Local Government Service Commission. On the other hand, Mr. Bah by virtue of his current position is requested to cease and desist from signing cheque payment with immediate effect,” the CEO said.
The CEO stated that banks have been notified of the identified irregularities, urging them to take appropriate internal measures. He concluded the memo by reminding department heads and their subordinates to adhere strictly to their roles and responsibilities as outlined in the Scheme of Service for the Local Government Service and comply with existing Acts and Regulations.
“To this end, Heads of Department, by extension their subordinates are hereby formally and gently reminded to strictly adhere to the terms of reference of their respective positions as enshrined in the Scheme of Service for the Local Government Service and adhere to existing Acts and Regulations for the Local Government Service,” Mr. Jonga wrote.