Essa Dampha
By Makutu Manneh
A member of the ruling National People’s Party, Essa Dampha, has called for greater transparency and oversight in the management of funds by the Brikama Area Council, following the council’s recent decision to allocate 1 million dalasis to each of its 28 wards.
Speaking in an interview on Kerr Fatou’s political talk show, Politic Kaacha, Mr. Dampha raised concerns about how the funds would be managed, warning that some councilors might initiate projects that are never completed.
He also questioned the practice of councilors serving as signatories to ward accounts, suggesting it could weaken financial oversight.
“These councilors should be evaluated so that people will know, honestly, that the money has not gone into individual pockets,” Mr. Dampha said.
Mr. Dampha argued that the council’s assertions that it is free from corruption were insufficient without independent scrutiny.
“Nobody will admit to being corrupt,” he said. “Let them allow people to hold them to account.”
According to Mr. Dampha, the council reported generating 244 million dalasis in tax revenue in 2025. After allocating 28 million dalasis to the wards, he said more than 216 million dalasis would remain under the council’s control, making transparency in the use of the remaining funds essential.
He nevertheless commended the council’s decision to distribute funds directly to wards, describing the initiative as genuine and potentially beneficial for local development, provided there is proper accountability.
Mr. Dampha also said the scale of development undertaken by the central government could not be compared with projects implemented by the Brikama Area Council.
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