By Binta Jaiteh
The Kerewan Area Council 2019 draft report has been reviewed by officials of The Gambia Public Procurement Authority at the National Assembly complex in Banjul.
National Assembly Select Committee on Regional Government and lands, Ombudsman and IEC and the members has to check the same coverage report of the council for through scrutiny.
During the presentation of the report to the committee, Jainaba Jallow John, assistant trainer, said: “thus the Council positions itself is to be able to deal with these challenges and through hard work, determination and commitment to the people of Kerewan Local Government; it shall hopefully be on course to achieve its targets as set out in the Strategic Plan.”
“Extend and deepen its support to the decentralized development structures such as VDCs, WDCs, MDFT and TACs to ensure that communities are at the centre of their activities, since the developmental mandate of local governments can be best realized when communities become directly involved in issues relating to their development,” she added.
She noted the expansion and development of the public work infrastructure and energy supplies in the region adding that strengthen and consolidate all training initiatives designed for councillors, staff of the Council and the decentralized structures with a view to ensuring maximum impact.
“The main objective of the procurement review was to assess the status of the Kerewan Area Council procurement and disposal systems, in order to determine the level of their implementation processes and compliance with the GPPA (Amendment) Act 2018, GPPR 2019, and the Instructions issued by GPPA.
“The specific objectives of this procurement review were: To verify whether the procurement and contracting procedures, processes and documentation followed by KAC were in accordance with the GPPA (Amendment) Act 2018, GPPR 2018, and the Instructions. To establish KAC adherence to the generally accepted principles of economy and efficiency, equal opportunities, transparency, integrity and fairness and promotion of local industry,” she said.
“Section (47) (3) of the GPPA, provides that a ‘procuring organization is responsible noting that and accounting officers and other officials concerned are accountable for public procurement in accordance with this Act and any Regulations issued by the Authority. And other applicable laws, regulations, and Financial Instructions applicable in The Gambia. However, the area council is mandated by the local government act to coordinates development issues within the LGA. Development initiatives are delivered using revenue generated within the council coupled with subventions from central government. However, the revenue base of KAC is currently low due to centralization of key revenue sources like cattle, car park, roads and forest etc,” she cited.
She said that the Kerewan Area Council shall work to gain the people’s trust and convince them and committed to fulfil and expanding its role as the voice of the rural population.
