GLMA Attempts to Terminate Contract of 21 Abattoir Staff
By Fatoumatta Jaiteh
The management of the Central Abattoir in Abuko engaged the press after the dismissal of some 21 members of staff by The Gambia Livestock Marketing Agency (GLMA), who argue that they were appointed by the Ministry of Agriculture and not the GLMA. The media engagement took place at the headquarters of the Central Abattoir in Abuko on Monday, 20th January 2025.
The Abatoir Management, a 21-member staff, expressed dismay after receiving letters from the GLMA effectively terminating their contracts by declining to renew them and demanding that they hand over the Abattoir to GLMA Director General, Mr. Momodou Darboe.
However, the Central Abattoir Manager, Mr. Madi Kuyateh, informed the press that he was appointed by the permanent secretary of the Ministry of Agriculture to manage the abattoir three years ago in 2022. Subsequently, Mr. Kuyateh says he was instructed by the Ministry of Agriculture to appoint the rest of the management staff, which includes the 21 staff whose services were not extended after they exhausted their term in office on 31st December 2024.
Speaking to the press, Mr. Kuyateh revealed that he was appointed on a performance contract. He noted that he was appointed on a two-year contract, renewable every year. He explained this was because "the government was looking for an investor for the Central Abattoir, and it will not be proper to give me a contract beyond 2 years because when an investor comes, my contract with the staff has to be terminated.”
He further highlighted that they have not received any information from the Ministry of Agriculture, which initially appointed him and instructed him to appoint the staff working under him; neither was he informed that their contracts will not be extended. From his perspective, it came as a surprise to receive a letter from the GLMA Director General at the end of December 2024, "telling me that my contract is finished."
Mr. Kuyateh explained that he has no concerns as to the renewal or lack of renewal of their contracts; however, he stressed that it should be done judiciously. He demanded that since he was appointed by the Ministry of Agriculture, together with the other staff under him, the decision to end or extend their contracts should likewise come from the same Ministry of Agriculture.
To verify their termination, Mr. Kuyateh revealed that he tried to consult the Principal Assistant Secretary at the Ministry of Agriculture, who said, “no, but this thing did not come from me. I appointed you people, but it didn’t come from me. The Principal Assisant Secretary Mr. Kanteh, was even very surprised to know” about our termination. He then explained to his subordinates that “the Principal Assistant Secretary who was assigned to appoint us says he’s not aware of our termination.”
He explained that the Central Abattoir is under government but is never subvented. He noted that “all the salaries that are paid to my staff here every month are from our revenue source, and our revenue source is cattle slaughter fee of D250 per cattle and D100 for sheep. Then we have a few of our canteens that are being rented to butchers.”
The Abattoir Management confirmed that the "Director General of GLMA and two other staff members are currently receiving [monthly] allowances from us." He argued that the allowances are even more than the salary of some members of the abattoir managing body. According to Assistant Revenue Collector Mr. Abdou Colley, he "receives D4,000 as salary; how can their allowances be more than our pay as the ones contracted for the job?”
Cheque provided by Abattoir Management © Askanwi
They alleged that the allowances for the GLMA Director and his two staff are as follows: D7,000 for the GLMA Managing Director, Mr. Momodou Darboe; D6,000 for the Director of Technical and Field Services, Mr. Sang Mendy; and D5,000 for the Finance Officer, Fatou Sonko. This indicates that the three GLMA staff are being paid their salary and an allowance from the Abattoir at the same time.
Askanwi has received what looks like a cheque totalling D18,000 dated 18th December 2024, written to Fatoumatta Sonko, the Finance Officer, who allegedly receives the funds every month and distributes the payment to the other two aforementioned staff.
Having heard from the Abattoir Management, members of the press sought further clarification from GLMA on the concerns raised by the Abattoir Management, where Mr. Sang Mendy, the Director of Technical and Field Services, offered some explanation.
According to Mr. Mendy, the contracts of the 21-member staff of the Abattoir Management were not terminated, but rather their tenure in office had elapsed. He noted that "they were on contract appointment" and that "it was spelt out that it will not be renewed."
When asked about the allowances they received monthly from the Abattoir Management, Mr. Mendy declined to comment, claiming that "I cannot talk much on that; we only receive fuel allowance" from them.
However, members of the Abattoir Management have expressed their commitment to continue engaging the Ministry of Agriculture to confirm their position regarding their termination or lack of extension.
