The Ministry of Finance and Economic Affair on Tuesday concluded a two-day strategic plan development meeting for the Ministries of Agriculture and Health and Social Welfare.
The meeting held at the Kairaba Beach Hotel attracted over one hundred participants from these sectors.
The meeting was geared towards bringing the participants together to, among other things, share their experiences and map out the best strategic development plan in the best interest of the country.
In attendance were the Permanent Secretary at the Ministry of Finance, Abdoulie Jallow, Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Agriculture, Dr Sait Drammeh, Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Heath Matida Bouy and senior officials from the Finance Ministry.
The meeting discussed new strategies that would help in the implementation of the shifting from annual budgeting to medium-term planning within all the ministries.
Speaking at the opening ceremony, the Permanent Secretary at the Ministry of Finance and Economic Affairs Abdoulie Jalllow, said: “The aim of developing the strategic plan is to ensure that it is considered as the envelop is provided by the Ministry of Finance and Economic affair.”
He also stated that the Ministry of Finance is in the process of strengthening the planning units of all departments and ministries. He then elaborated on the rationale behind bringing all the planners under the Ministries of Agriculture and Health and Social Welfare and other ministries.
The Permanent Secretary at the Ministry of Finance further stated that what their entire ministry wants is for other planning department sectors to update all development planning activities in their areas of operations.
For his part, the Director of Budget, Momodou Sabally, said the forum forms part of a series of workshops that the Ministry of Finance is organising.
He further buttressed on the challenges in managing budgets, adding that The Gambia is now shifting from annual budgeting system to medium-term expenditure framework
