GAMBIA POLITICO: DEBUNKING LAMIN S JATTA’S BAC CHAOS

By Yankuba Darboe

My attention was drawn to a Social Media Interview audio of Lamin S Jatta, a BAC staffer, who recently had an online interview with Buba Gajigo on Mr. Gajigo’s platform. In the audio Mr Jatta attempted to twist the narrative regarding his removal from council’s portfolio of acting rates manager at Brikama Area Council, as if that was done out of spite for his social media comments against the council. This could not be farther from the truth!

To put it bluntly, Mr Jatta has been economical with the truth to the public. He was removed from his much coveted portfolio of acting licence head, because of his addiction to corrupt practices, which he refused to sever, despite our best efforts to help him change.

Mr Jatta is one few staffs at BAC who were previously found to be corrupt by the Local Government Service Commission in 2020. Please see from that commission to confirm the same. Yet when he speaks you will give him your daughter’s hand in marriage. This was how he convinced us in 2023 that those corrupt practices were confined to his past, but as the saying goes old habits are hard to divorce.

In 2023, when we came to BAC, Lamin S Jatta gave us the impression that he is the most hardworking revenue collector in BAC, who was victimised previously because of his UDP membership and support. Something which he still banks on, even in the interview audio being discussed.

In the interview, he tries hard to convince everyone that he is decent person who should be restored as head of licence department at BAC. We believed him once but will never repeat that mistake.

It was under our council that he was recommended to be elevated to the portfolio of deputy head of the Licence department, which was at the time headed by Mr. Ebrima Jallow. This was shortly before Mr. Ebrima Jallow went for his retirement, after he, Mr Jatta, took over the department as its de-facto acting head for 2024.

However, less than a year into that role, we started getting reports of his engagement in corrupt practices of revenue suppression, especially relating to the tri-cyle licences collection of that year, 2024. Several people reported this to us, through our councillor for transport, Sheriffo Bayo Sonko.

As a result, through the council’s Establishment Committee we recommended for all revenue heads to be rotated the following year 2025. This meant that Lamin S Jatta was going to be moved from Licence department to Rates department, as acting head. This was effected by the Establishment Committee for 2025.

However, Lamin S Jatta protested against this move and ran to many elders of Brikama to intercede on his behalf, so that I would intervene and keep him at licence department. I refused his attempts and insisted for him to move, as it was the council decision for him to move, so he should move.

However, the fact that he resisted his move from that department confirmed my suspicion that he was indeed having extra benefits from that department. Otherwise what was so special for him at that department to cause him to plead to be left at that department. This is because moving from one department head to another would not have cost him of any deductions to his salaries and allowance entitlements from the council.

However, he blatantly refused and had to be literally forced to move from the licence department office to the rates department office. After this, he decided to deliberately rebel and refused to work there as the acting head of that department.

He then began his social media campaign against the council and further resorted to vitriolic attacks against councillors in the council premises. His victims included Hon. Jainaba Jobe of Kunkunjang Ward, Hon. Lamin Dibba of Pirang Ward, Hon. Jawo Jallow of Nyambai Ward, Vice Chairman Cherno Jallow of Suba Ward, and Hon. Jamang Camara of Kembujeh Ward.

His unacceptable conducts were reported to the establishment committee of the council, who finally decided to yank him from all offices at the council and reduced his responsibilities, to a revenue collector, which he was before his elevation.

Thereafter, he started another apology and lobbying through the Brikama Bulunda elders and other elders of Brikama for his reinstatement as a collector with an assigned zone. When that failed he increased his tempo on the media campaign against the council with false narratives.

What he would never admit is that it was because of his corrupt practices, which destroyed whatever respect I and the council have had for him. It is further important for him to appreciate that the BAC council does not belong to him and that his support for the UDP, does not put him beyond reproach. And that I will not back anyone who engages in corruption to defraud or pilfer public funds simply because they support UDP.

With regard to his claims that he was able to boost revenue for BAC, during his tenure as the acting head of licence department at BAC in 2024. This claim is true, for indeed the License department collected D73 million in 2024. However, after he was removed form that department in 2025, his successor, Mustapha Joof, brought in D105 million in the following year, in 2025. So what happened to the D30 million, which should have been collected under his tenure.

Thus, it was a good decision to remove him from that department and it remains a good decision up to date!

The rest of his claims will be debunked by the PRO of council and Sheriffo Bayo Sonko and we will forward his latest rants to the establishment committee for appropriate redress! The man simply fail to understand that he is a civil servant and not a politician, elected to a political office in the council.

Don’t Steal, Don’t Lie, JobRek!!!

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