As global health-threatening disease; coronavirus pandemic continues to pose threat to life and food security, Gambia Bankers Association (GBA), Wednesday donated eight hundred thousand dalasi to the eight local councils in the country through Gambia Association of Local Government Authorities (GALGA).
The Association’s secretary Alagie Jeng told GALGA officials at the handing of the donation at the Kanifing Municipal Council chambers on Wednesday that the association found it as important and necessary to partner with local councils to fight the coronavirus pandemic, saying it has locked-down the global economy and the income earnings of the people.
On Wednesday, the association donated three million dalasi to the government, through the ministry of health as part of their corporate social responsibility in the fight against the virus that has been categorized as pandemic by the World Health Organisation.
President of GALGA and chairman of Mansakonko Area Council, Landing B Sanneh said the gesture is pleasing for the councils, saying when people support the local councils, they are supporting themselves because everyone lives within a council.
‘area councils cannot be marginalized and no country can prosper without operating within a decentralised system,’ he said.
Mr Sanneh said area councils represent everyone, saying even before the declaration of the coronavirus pandemic, councils have been actively trying hard to meet the needs and demands of their people.
He told the Association that that they will never regret giving support to people because all the cohorts of local councils are committed to standing by their people to satisfy their needs, especially during the coronavirus pandemic outbreak.
Chairman Sanneh however appealed to the Association to convince its member banks to consider extending their branches to the interior of the country like Kuntaur to boost economic activities in that part of the country.
Mrs Sainabou Martin-Sonko, chief executive officer of Kanifing Municipal Council said all the councils are aware of the threats of coronavirus and it requires that people work together to ensure that it is controlled.