By Kebba Ansu Manneh
Action-Aid International The Gambia in collaboration with Activista Gambia over the weekend held its first ever citizens platform dialogue programme in Niamina Kudang.
The event well attended, brought together National Assembly Members, Councillors, Seefoolus, Alkalolus, Community Leaders and Youths within Niamina Dankunku, Niamina West and Niamina East Districts with the aim of familiarising the people of the region on the roles and functions of their elected representatives.
In his opening statement, Fafa Cham, Manager, Local Rights Programme (LRP), Action-Aid International The Gambia at Kudang Office revealed that the converge is meant to clear doubts among the electorates on the roles and responsibilities of the elected NAMs and Councillors. Noting that, most electorates have little or no understanding of the duties of these elected officials thus confusing it with provisions of socio-economic facilities for the people.
Manager Local Rights Programme continued that the gathering is entirely an apolitical gathering that is specifically designed to horn-up the understanding of the people on duties of their elected representatives, which most often electorates will associate certain responsibilities with their elected representatives that are outside their works.
“Many people are of the view that it is the duty and responsibilities of our elected representatives to be attending and sponsoring social events which is not so.
“Therefore, it is very important to organise such event so that the elected representatives can clarify matters by themselves to the people they represent,” Fafa Cham, Manager Local Rights Programme disclosed.
On his part, Honorable Omar Ceesay, National Assembly Members for Niamina East Constituency disclosed that the roles of National Assembly Members can be summarised to three main functions. These functions are their legislative roles, oversight functions and representation of their people.
“As a National Assembly Members there are three main functions you perform at the Assembly irrespective of which party one may be affiliated with. These did not involve building roads, building hospitals and buying bags of rice for electorates but rather making laws, performing oversight functions and representation of their constituents,” Honorable Ceesay disclosed.
According to him, it is not the roles of the National Assembly Members to provide physical infrastructures and social amenities, arguing that any National Assembly Member who ventures into such is simply based on their own accord and initiative.
Honorable Samba Jallow, Minority Leader and Member for Niamina Dankunku disclosed that due to high sense of expectations from electorates the National Assembly has now allocated D300, 000.00 for constituency development fund, adding that this fund is earmarked to help parliamentarians to be able to intervene to some of the urgent development need of their people.
“I want to make it clear that this constituency development fund is not in the hands of the parliamentarians. Any parliamentarians who wants to access this funding must present a project on behalf of their people before them and can access the constituency development funds,” Minority Leader disclosed.
Councillor Musa Sawaneh of Jareng Ward applauded Action-Aid International The Gambia and Activista for having the foresight in organising such an event, observing that the forum has brought together members of different political parties to discussed about the roles of their elected representatives and demystify some of the misconception among the electorates.
He encouraged participants of the forum to disseminate what they have gathered to the many others who didn’t have the opportunity to attend the forum, observing that such an important forum should be replicated throughout the country in a bid to widen up the understanding of the Gambian people on the roles and responsibilities of their elected representatives.
Yama Touray, a participant from Mamud Fana village also commended the organisers of the program. She noted it was the first time such a program been organised in the region and accords both the electorates and those elected to come face to face to discuss issues.
According to her, many National Assembly Members have no time for their people once elected into office, and such trend brings lack of consultations among the electorates and it can cause misunderstanding between the elected and the people that may eventually derail development programs and initiatives for the people.