By Arret Jatta
Fatou Jaiteh, a procurement officer at the Kerewan Area Council, on Thursday revealed alleged widespread violations of procurement laws and procedures at the council.
Appearing before the Local Government Commission of Enquiry Ms. Jaiteh recounted the culture of mismanagement within the council, where procurement decisions were often made without her involvement and due process routinely bypassed.
The witness told the commission that throughout her tenure at the council, the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) and the Finance Director, along with sub-treasuries, conducted procurement activities independently, frequently excluding her from decisions except in some instances when large sums of money were involved and the council needed to comply with regulations of the Gambia Public Procurement Authority (GPPA).
“I am not involved in most of the procurement activities they carry out, although, sometimes they involve me, but most times they don’t,” she told the commission.
Ms. Jaiteh also revealed that many contracts awarded by the council did not follow proper procurement processes, including instances where the CEO would instruct her to do paperwork retroactively, creating a false appearance of compliance, which she complied, because she was obligated to follow the CEO’s direction.
When Lead Counsel Patrick Gomez pressed her on why she followed these instructions, Jaiteh explained simply: “It was an instruction from the CEO’’. To illustrate her points, the witness provided a letter she wrote to the CEO in November 2021, in which she called for adherence to procurement regulations.
“Did they reply?” Counsel Gomez asked. “No,” Jaiteh replied.
“Did they comply?” Gomez followed up. No,” she answered.
Jaiteh’s actions were commended by Gomez, who praised her for her courage in challenging the status quo, despite her relatively young age
He emphasised that if more people like Jaiteh took a stand, it could significantly improve governance and accountability in the country.
At 31 years old, Jaiteh spent nearly a decade in the council’s procurement department, rising from a procurement clerk to officer in 2023.
