By Sarjo M. Camara
Information Officer
Office of the Vice President
Penny Williams, World Bank (WB) Country Director and Senior Social Protection Specialist and Task Team Leader, Monday bided farewell to the Vice President Dr Isatou Touray at her office in Banjul.
She is replaced by Christabel Dadzie as Senior Social Protection Specialist and Task Team Leader in Banjul. They were accompanied by other specialists namely, Feyi Boroffice and Rebekka Grun.
Dr Isatou Touray thanked the WB teams for putting the Gambia agenda on their priority and supporting the creation and optimal capacity building of the National Social Protection Secretariat (NSPS).
She also appreciated the efforts of WB in helping alleviating poverty across the various districts of The Gambia and urged it to keep supporting the country’s poor through the NAFA Programme being implemented by National Nutritional Agency (NaNA) and partners.
Ms Penny Williams also thanked The Gambia Government for promoting the rights of vulnerable people and the extreme poor and hopes to include 17 more districts in NPSP’s programme this year.
It could be recall that the US$31 million Safety Net programme is supported by the World Bank with a Gambia Government counterpart contribution of US$1 million.
At least 83,000 households in 30 districts benefited from the “NAFA Quick” Covid-19 relief support. This “NAFA QUICK CASH TRANSFER” Project is aimed at building households resilience during the COVID-19 pandemic for vulnerable population.
Now the NAFA programme has been piloted in three districts, it will be expanded to further 17 making it 20. The Director of SBCC Department at NaNA, Abdul Aziz Ceesay said the 20 districts will include Foni Bintang, Foni Bondali, Foni Kansalla, Foni Jarrol, Foni Brefect in West Coast Region (WCR); Nianija, Upper Saloum, Lower Saloum, Lower Fuladou West in Central River Region (CRR); Sandu, Kantora, Wuli West, Wuli East in Upper River Region (URR); Kiang Central, Kiang East, Kiang West in Lower River Region (LRR) and Sabackh Sanjal in North Bank Region (NBR).
