David Gomez, the director of Governance at the Ministry of Local Government and Lands, Tuesday told the Local Government Commission of Inquiry that the Local Government Service Commission never dismissed any council staff for fraud.

The witness was referred to a letter, dated 24th of June 2020, sent by his ministry on behalf of the Local Government Service Commission informing council staff of the commission’s zero tolerance for fraud and that any staff found wanting would be dismissed.

He was also referred to two letters also dated 24th of June, the same date as the warning letter about fraud, referred to two council staff.

“The two staff written to were only suspended for 2 months without salary and asked to pay back the money collected from shopkeepers within 6 months after resumption of duties,” Lead Counsel Yakarr Cox told the witness, after reading the said letters addressed to two staff.

Asked whether the service commission has ever dismissed council staff for fraud, the witness answered in the negative, therefore admitting the Local Government Service Commission has never dismissed council staff for fraud as it had pledged.

The witness also spoke about the controversial Banjul City Council waste management project funded by European Union to the tune of 3 .1million Euros.

“I think they have an EU project, sorry I may not be able to shed more light on it. I only know that there is a city link between the two councils. That is BCC in The Gambia or in Banjul and Ostend in Belgium. They have links between the two. So EU is funding or has funded certain programmes on behalf of Ostend to BCC,” he said.

The witness told the Commission, however, that he has no idea about some of these programmes. Also, responding whether government is usually involved in projects where there is a partner fund, he said that with reference to that project, he does not know. He added that in certain instances, government does take part.

“Government’s involvement does not come through our ministry but instead through the Ministry of Finance And Economic Affairs, where there is a request for government counterpart contribution for the project being executed.”

Mr Gomez added that it depends on the demands of the international partner, for instance, EU may demand that for it to fund a particular project, the government shall put in something as well.

He also stated that there is no particular fixed percentage of contribution as it varies. He also stated that he was not sure whether the government monitors such projects.