Management and Councilors of Basse Area Council (BsAC) said they have invested more than 29 million dalasis in delivering services to taxpayers in different communities within its Local Government Area (LGA) in the first quarter of 2021 alone.
These include the construction of an 18 million dalasis 1.6 kilometer concrete road from Basse town to Manneh Kunda bypass, construction of a four million dalasis culvert linking Sabi and Samba Lolo, construction of a three million dalasis Baja Kunda culvert that is affected by erosion and the construction of a four million dalasis Song Kunda culvert project.
At a meeting with the Gambia Association of Local Government Authorities (GALGA) executive and the secretariat on Tuesday, as part of their quarterly monitoring to all the eight Local Government Areas, management and councilors pride themselves of accomplishing several live changing projects within the locality.
Supported by the UNDP-Gambia funded Economic Management Project (EMP), under the Ministry of Finance and Economic Affairs, the tour is expected to strengthen the relationship between GALGA and Councils for improved quality service delivery. The meetings outline value added programs and projects that can enhance addressing needs and challenges of Councils.
“We have dogged seven boreholes in seven districts within our jurisdiction in 2021, while we have completed the construction of Kanube Bridge,” planning officer of Basse Area Council, Yaya Ceesay said during a presentation on the Council’s strategic plan.
He said in addition, the Council has also dogged public toilets at Mankamang Kunda and Sarah Ngai Lumos to discourage open defecation.
The Council’s director of finance, Lamin Suso said they are currently sponsoring four students at Gambia College and the University of The Gambia, saying they want to serve their people in the best of their ability.
The synergy also targets to create a platform of idea generation and sharing between Councils and GALGA, promote culture of learning and sharing, have direct interactions with GALGA members and share ideas, strengthen mutual understanding between GALGA and Local Government Authorities and increase understanding of the effects of COVID-19 on councils and the response mechanisms.
“GALGA is an association of all the LGAs in The Gambia and has an obligation to respond to their needs when it comes to advocacy and service,” Landing b Sanneh, president of GALGA and chairman of Mansakonko Area Council said.
Mr Sanneh appreciated the good work of Basse Area Council, describing it as one of the most progressing Councils. “You have to be inspired by your own selves but if you disunite, you will be putting the future of LGAs in jeopardy,” he said.
Chief executive officer of Basse Area Council, Ousman Touray said the tour is a blessing to Councils that will allow them to share their successes and chart easy ways to fix the challenges.