By: Ilyasa Baa
Mayors and Chairmen of the Local Councils have delivered their handing over notes to the Chief Administrators who have written to the banks informing them that the Mayors and Chairmen are no longer signatories to Councils’ accounts effective 1st March 2023.
According to the Chief Administrator of the Kambia District Council, Edward Alpha, he is yet to receive all the assets including motorbikes used by Councilors. He said he has received the handing-over note from the Chairman adding that his office will remain closed with all those classified documents until after the election when the person who will win the election assumes office. He lamented that some bikes were personalized and never handed over as the Council’s asset by the last set of beneficiaries. ‘I won’t allow that to happen, the law will intervene if anyone fails to hand over Council assets”, he charged.
In Port Loko, the last seating of the Fourth Council in the Second Republic held on Tuesday, attracted a good number of stakeholders including Ward Committee Members. The outgoing Chairman, Ibrahim Santigie Bangura updated that they succeeded in implementing sixty-eight tangible projects. He said the Council attracted two projects funded by the European Union to support and build the capacity of local authorities, linking the farms to the markets.
The acting Chairman of the Pujehun District Council Mohamed Mansaray said they have stepped aside as required by the memo though they could have been allowed to seat in office till the House of Parliament closes.
It could be recalled that the Ministry of Local Government circulated a memo calling on Mayors, Chairmen and Councilors to vacate their offices and make way for the election. The memo was thrashed by the Chairman of the Water District Council, Kashow Cole pressing for more time.