By Amadou Jallow
GALGA Program Officer- Communication
President of Gambia Association of Local Government Authorities (GALGA) has said on Tuesday that they have commenced a robust step towards building the capacity of officials of the eight Local Government Areas (Municipal, City and Area Councils) that will enable them to adequately respond to the development demands of the time.
Addressing participants at the closing of a five-day intensive capacity building training for officials of the eight GALGA member Councils at the Mansakonko Area Council conference hall, Landing B Sanneh said their intention is to set up the space to build the foundation of change in the Councils.
The training covered areas on concept note and project proposal writing, monitoring plan and budget writing with participants comprising chief executive officers, mayors and chairmen, directors of planning and development and planning officers.
It was part of a United Nations Trust Fund for Human Security (UNTFHS) project that GALGA secured from UNFPA The Gambia through the National Youth Council – The Gambia titled: Localising SDGs – Improving the Livelihoods of Vulnerable Women and Youth around the Senegambia Bridge. The project aims to address the negative livelihood challenges that vulnerable women and youth encounter as a result of the coming of the Senegambia Bridge.
“We organised this training because we have realized that Councils cannot continue to rely on only their core revenue earnings to implement their programs and activities,” Mr. Sanneh, who is also the sitting Chairman of Mansakonko Area Council said.
He said the training was one of their attempts to implement changes in the Local Government Areas and it was hands-on that they intend to continue organizing to avoid councils from depending on only their core revenue sources to deliver services to taxpayers.
Considering the centrality of Local Councils in the collection and management of local revenues and the lofty expectations that taxpayers have on them, it has become prudent for them to adopt a new system of diversifying their revenue earning sources from only tax-based to conceptualizing new ideas on increasing revenue earning from external sources.
During the five days, the participants were trained on how to prepare marketable concept notes, project proposals, project implementation plans and budget. They also benefited a wider knowledge on monitoring and evaluation and project report writing- activity and financial reports.
Mr Sanneh thanked the United Nations Trust Fund for Human Security for funding the project through UNFPA Gambia for funding the project and the National Youth Council of The Gambia for the partnership.
Kebba Darboe, deputy governor of Lower River Region said the training will help local councils to develop marketable project proposals for funding, saying Councils are critical partners for development.
Ousman Sonko, the lead trainer and vice principal of the Rural Development Institute (RDI), said the training was practical that is expected to bring huge change in councils when it comes to project proposal writing and reporting, implementation and budgeting.
He encouraged the trainees to remain focused in their daily activities and ensure that they practicalise the training at their various council levels.
Speaking on behalf of the executive director of National Youth Council (NYC), the chairman of Lower River Region Youth Committee, Ousman Sanneh said NYC and local Councils have been supporting young people which he said will continue to remain intact. He also encouraged GALGA and its partners to supporting Councils to enable them to deliver development to their taxpayers.
Kebba Darboe, deputy governor of Lower River Region said the training will help local councils to develop marketable project proposals for funding, saying Councils are critical partners for development. “Knowledge is a waist if it cannot add value to humanity,” he said.
In his vote of thanks, chief executive officer of Janjangbureh Area Council, Paa Sait Ceesay said the convergence was not only to develop and enhance the capacities of councils but it has also brought together the local government fraternity to discuss issues of common interest and concern.