By Makutu Manneh
The chairman of the Brikama Area Council, Yankuba Darboe, has criticized the development record of the Kanifing Municipal Council, arguing that his administration could have delivered significantly more projects if it had access to the level of funding he says KMC claims to possess.
In an interview with UDP TV and Media, Mr. Darboe said that if KMC indeed received millions in donor support—including about €3 million, which he said is roughly equivalent to 200 million dalasis—his council would have carried out far more development projects across the West Coast Region.
“With 200 million dalasis, there is so much development we would register,” Mr. Darboe said. “Each ward would receive far more than one million, and people would be much busier.”
Mr. Darboe pointed to what he described as achievements under his administration despite limited resources. With a budget of roughly 200 million dalasis, he said, the Brikama Area Council has funded several student scholarships and completed more than 40 development projects, including boreholes and markets.
He contrasted those efforts with what he described as limited visible progress in Kanifing. Mr. Darboe said KMC has claimed to have generated more than one billion dalasis over the past five to six years, yet, according to him, has not provided scholarships or constructed what he considers a standard market.
“You cannot say you have €3 million and $2 million, plus your revenue of about 300 million dalasis, and then look at the stage of KMC,” he said.
Mr. Darboe added that the Brikama Area Council achieved what he considers notable progress within two to three years of his administration, despite inheriting significant financial liabilities. When the council assumed office, he said, it found the institution heavily indebted and spent its first year repaying those obligations.
He noted that the revenue his council generated over two years was still less than what KMC reportedly collects in a single year, arguing that with such financial advantages, KMC should have registered substantially more development projects.
“That is why I said we are going to keep them busy,” Mr. Darboe said. “They need to do the work.”
He added that comparisons between the two councils should take into account what he described as the significantly larger financial resources available to KMC in recent years.
Comments are closed.