Stakeholders Validate Draft Financial Manual for LGA's

The Gambia Agency for the Management of Public Works (GAMWORKS) has commenced the implementation of subprojects under the Third Public Works Project financed by the OPEC Fund for International Development (OFID).

One of the key components of this project is to provide technical assistance and training for Local Government Authorities (LGA's).

To that effect, a day validation workshop was yesterday convened for LGA's and other stakeholders at the Paradise Suites hotel in Kololi.

Participants reviewed and validated the draft financial and accounting manual.

Addressing the opening ceremony, Mr. Bubacarr Sankareh, auditor general, of the National Audit Office, who chaired the occasion, described the forum as timely. "Currently the financial memorandum they are using has been in use for the past 20 years, the Local Government Act provides that a new financial manual is put in place," he said. He added that the subject for quality service delivery is fundamental and thus the need for sound financial management.

In declaring the forum open, Mr. Alasana Jammeh, permanent secretary for Local Government, Land and Religious Affairs, said that the workshop would strengthen local government institutions. He encouraged the participants to do justice to the draft manual.

The validation exercise was attended by regional governors, mayors, and CEO's among others.