By: Kebba Ansu Manneh
Since returning from his official trip to the US, where he controversially overstayed, KAC Chairman Saihou Jawara has reportedly yet to attend General Council meetings as required by the Local Government Act.
This was revealed by councilors and council staff who spoke to TAT.
They also said Chairman Jawara has yet to implement a single project in the region since his return from the US trip. And the “investors” Jawara mentioned to the Vice President have yet to visit the Council and the area to discuss their plans.
Councilor Momodou Bah of Kuntaur Ward confirmed to TAT that the Chairman has not been attending General Council Meetings “for reasons best known to him” and that at one such meeting convened, councilors were told to wait for Jawara’s arrival with some investors, who never showed up.
Bah also said that he has not been aware of any project implemented by Jawara since returning from the US and has yet to be informed of any project implemented by the “investors “in the region.
“I can confirm that Chairman Jawara has not been attending General Council Meetings since his return from the US. I can also tell you that since his return, he has never reported his trip to the General Council either in writing or verbally,” Councilor Sorry Darboe of Banni Ward told TAT.
He added that the Chairman’s behavior is not in line with the Local Government Act, which states that he should be sanctioned if the Chairman deliberately fails to attend General Council Meetings. “But this is not the case with the Chairman.”
According to Councilor Darboe, Chairman Jawara claimed that he had contacted investors in the US during the trip who were willing to invest over $150 million up to $500 million in the CRR region in the areas of health, education, and agriculture.
A council staff member who prefers to remain anonymous also told TAT that Jawara has come to the Council since returning to the country last January but has failed to attend General Council Meetings.
The Vice Chairman, Musa Bah, Councilor of Kaur Ward, also revealed that Jawara had not attended General Council Meetings since returning from the US but “usually puts me in the picture anytime he cannot attend General Council Meetings.”
However, he confirmed that failure to attend three consecutive General Council Meetings could be grounds for impeachment by the Council.
Efforts were made to speak to Chairman Jawara but failed to succeed.
