By: Foday Manneh
Councilors of the Janjangbureh Area Council (JAC) in the Central River Region at a General Council meeting have passed a resolution calling for the removal of their Chairperson, Ibrahim Njanko Sanneh.
According to the Vice Chairperson, Sanneh has been on sick leave for more than three years and still enjoys office privileges.
“We have passed resolutions signed by eleven (11) of the twelve (12) Councilors for the removal of the Chairman and to hand over all office properties.
“This was sent to the Ministry of Local Government, which later approved our proposal. So we have all those correspondents with us,” said Haruna Barry, Vice Chair of the Council.
Barry, the Councilor for Kudang Ward in the Niamina east district, is now the acting Chairperson. He says Sanneh still enjoys council privileges despite being away for three years, which includes holding on to the Council’s vehicle for all that period.
“It is challenging because he is still using that official vehicle. He is not the Chairman right now after we passed that resolution that he should be removed which has been approved by the Ministry.
Barry added that Sanneh is using the only official vehicle, and “it is very frustrating” on occasions when as the acting Chairperson, he needs transport.
“It is the Council still fueling the vehicle on humanitarian grounds, and he still receives his allowances. But we want all of that to stop since he can no longer serve his functions.”
Under subsection (2) of the Local Government Act 2002, a Chairperson may be removed from office by a resolution supported by two-thirds of all the members of the Council on any of the following grounds – abuse of office, corruption, misconduct, or such physical or mental incapacity as would render him or her incapable of discharging the duties of the office.
To remove the Chairperson – under subsection (1) of this section – a notice in writing signed by not less than two-thirds of all members of the Council shall be submitted to the Deputy Chairperson.
However, whether applied or not, the Deputy Chairperson shall send a copy to the Chairperson, the Chief Justice, and the Secretary of State (Minister) within twenty-four hours after receipt of the notice.
Within seven days after receipt of the notice under subsection (3), the Chief Justice shall constitute a Tribunal comprising a number of Justices of the High Court to determine the case.
