By Arret Jatta
Testifying for the last time before the Local Government Commission of Inquiry yesterday, Mayor Talib Bensouda explained that the Kanifing Municipal Council (KMC) has faced significant challenges in budget planning due to the lack of subvention from the government.
According to the mayor, KMC budgeted for a projected subvention of D46 million from the government, as mandated by the Finance Audit Act, but, the government has never fulfilled its obligation of providing 25 percent of their development fund. .
He added that the lack of subvention has led to unrealistic revenue projections by council and difficulties in balancing the budget.
Chairperson Jainaba Bah asked the mayor: “Having realised that year in year out you don’t have the anticipated income from government, should that be the basis upon which you will do your projection on the budget, because that I believe will not be realistic”.
Mayor Bensouda responded by saying: “I always advocate to move the government’s subvention on the maybe, and let’s balance our budget based on what we believe we will get versus bringing government in because then we end up in problems”.
He added that council started putting grant income as part of their revenues, and that is how the development fund grew significantly.
