By Buba Gagigo
The Deputy Mayor of Banjul has been requested by the Ministry of Lands, Regional Government, and Religious Affairs to refrain from duplicating memoranda concerning the Council’s internal affairs and operational issues to the Local Government Commission.
“It has been observed that you have consistently copied your missives/memos to the Chairperson of the Local Government Commission of Inquiry, an office that has absolutely nothing to do with the administrative day-to-day matters of the Council. Hence, the said Commission should not be copied in any way on the Council’s internal matters and any other issue(s) in relation to operational matters,” the ministry said.
The ministry has stated that the sole political office within the council is that of the Lord Mayor. Consequently, the Office of the Deputy Mayor neither currently exists nor can exist as an independent office.
“Additionally, I want to draw your attention to the fact that the office of the Lord Mayor is the only political office of the Council. Thus, the Office of the Deputy Mayor doesn’t and cannot exist as a stand-alone office. Rather, it is an extension of the Office of the Lord Mayor, and therefore, any communication emanating from her desk should be signed for and on behalf of, the Lord Mayor.
“Furthermore, it is hoped that with this letter, the Ministry has abundantly made its position very clear on this issue. You are henceforth advised to refrain from such, and any further repetition could no longer be regarded as an error, but rather, a deliberate act on your part to act otherwise,” the letter ended.