The Brikama Area Council (BAC) has firmly denied allegations of unilateral tax increases, refuting claims made by Hon. Minister of Local Government Musa Drammeh in a parliamentary session, as reported by The Standard Newspaper on Friday, April 4, 2025.
In a strongly worded statement, the BAC accused the minister of relying on “conjecture and speculation” unsupported by facts, asserting that no new tax hikes have been implemented since 2020.
The controversy stems from Drammeh’s reported assertion to Parliament that the BAC had independently raised taxes, bypassing tariffs he approved in 2019. However, the council countered that the minister failed to specify which taxes had allegedly increased, casting doubt on the validity of his claims. “It is contended that the Hon. Minister’s allegations were mainly based on conjecture and speculation, which is supported by no iota of facts,” the BAC statement read.
The issue first surfaced during a parliamentary discussion sparked by Nominated Member Maimuna Darboe, who falsely claimed that the current BAC council had raised annual property tax rates from D300 to D2,000 for properties valued over D500,000. The BAC clarified that this increment took place in 2019 under a previous council, was approved by Minister Drammeh himself, and has been part of the gazetted BAC tariffs since January 1, 2020.
“No such increments occurred [under the current council],” the BAC emphasized, adding that it has merely enforced existing tariffs rather than introducing new ones.
“The Brikama Area Council has not increased any taxes or rates from 2020 to date,” the statement continued, dismissing the minister’s allegations as “false and holding no iota of truth.”
The council further accused Drammeh and others of misrepresenting its efforts to ensure tax compliance for the development of the West Coast Region. “The current council is only proactive in ensuring that everyone pays their fair share of taxes,” the BAC said, framing its actions as a continuation of policies established years ago rather than a new initiative.
The rebuttal has escalated tensions between the BAC and the Ministry of Local Government, raising questions about communication and oversight within local governance structures.
As the council defends its record, it has called for an end to what it describes as baseless insinuations, urging stakeholders to focus on factual accounts rather than political rhetoric.
