Sulayman Jammeh, a former councillor for Bundung Six-Junction Ward and current Member of the National Assembly for Bundungka Kunda, has cleared the air regarding the controversial Kanifing Municipal Council (KMC) market exercise of 2018, stating that he was neither involved in the activity nor gave consent for the associated payments.

During his testimony on December 9, 2024, before the Local Government Commission of Inquiry, Jammeh vehemently denied his participation and claimed that his signature was forged as part of the payment process.

Jammeh, who served on the KMC council from 2013 to 2018, provided comprehensive documentation of his activities and expenditures as requested by the Commission. However, when questioned about the 2018 market exercise—an event in which councillors were paid D400 per day for 25 days—Jammeh expressed surprise, stating that he had no involvement in the exercise and had only been aware of it from council discussions.

“In fact, this is not my signature,” Jammeh told the Commission, joining several other councillors who have raised concerns about forged signatures and irregularities in the payment process.

The exercise, which was meant to take place in July 2018, was later backdated by the council when it approved payments in August, claiming the funds were a motivation for councillors in preparation for the Tobaski festival.

However, the Commission noted several discrepancies in the accounts provided by KMC.

While the councillors were reportedly paid D10,000 each for the 25-day exercise, many testified they did not participate for the full duration. Some councillors recalled participating for only 24 days, while others struggled to remember how many days they were actually involved.

Further confusion arose regarding the manner in which the exercise was conducted, with some councillors claiming they worked in teams, while others were left to carry out the tasks individually, often without supervision.

The backdating of the payments has raised questions about the integrity of the exercise, with the council’s official meeting minutes suggesting the decision to pay the councillors was made only after the exercise had concluded.

This, combined with the contradictory testimonies, has left the Commission with serious concerns regarding the legitimacy and transparency of the 2018 market exercise.

Jammeh’s testimony has added fuel to the controversy surrounding the event, suggesting that the KMC’s handling of the exercise and subsequent payments may not have been above board.

The Commission is now tasked with uncovering the full truth behind the exercise and determining whether the councillors’ actions were properly authorised.

By Adama Makasuba