The Brikama Area Council (BAC) has issued a scathing rebuke of Chief Lamin Mondo Jatta of Brikama North following the circulation of an audio recording on social media in which he allegedly urged residents to refuse payment of their value property rates. Chief Jatta, appointed in 2024, claimed the D2,000 annual rate for properties valued over D500,000 was “fraudulent,” asserting he had not been informed of it by either the council or the central government.
In a strongly worded statement, the BAC labeled the chief’s comments as “ignorant,” “irresponsible,” and “dangerous,” accusing him of inciting rebellion against the council tasked with the region’s development. The council dismissed his fraud allegations as baseless, emphasizing that the property rate has been legally enforced since January 1, 2020, under its gazetted tariffs—well before Jatta’s appointment.
“Chief Lamin Mondo Jatta needs to know that ignorance is not an excuse under the law,” the BAC declared, citing its authority under the General Rates Act, CAP 34.02 of the Laws of The Gambia. The Act designates the BAC as the rating authority for the West Coast Region, with the power to levy and adjust rates to meet budgetary needs. The D2,000 tariff, signed into law by then-Minister of Local Governments Musa Drammeh, has been in effect for over five years.
The council further revealed that Chief Jatta has failed to pay his property rates for the past five years, described as “exposing enough.” In response to his remarks, the BAC has directed its collectors to visit Jatta’s residence to demand payment of his current dues and arrears, threatening legal action if he does not comply. The council warned that any residents following his “rebellious advice” would face similar consequences, noting its routine practice of prosecuting non-payers.
Adding to the controversy, the BAC pointed out that it funds the District Tribunal staff at significant expense, including those serving under chiefs like Jatta. “For a member of that same District Tribunal… to call on his residents not to pay the very revenue this council depends on to pay for the running of their tribunal is quite simply madness,” the statement read.
The BAC concluded by calling on West Coast Region residents to continue supporting the council’s efforts to drive progress and development, distancing itself from Jatta’s “reprehensible” stance. As tensions rise, all eyes are on Brikama North to see how this clash between the chief and the council will unfold.
