A two-day training of Area Council Councilors in the Banjul City Council and Kanifing Municipal Council recently ended at TANGO conference Hall in Kanifing.
The training, which was organised by the National Council for Civic Education, NCCE, in collaboration with Action-Aid International The Gambia was funded by the UNDP.
In his welcome remarks, the acting Chairman of the NCCE, Alhaji Momodou Joof, on behalf of the NCCE hailed the two Mayors of Banjul and MKC and the new Councillors on their well- deserved election victories.
Mr Joof furher stated that the tasks ahead of the Councillors are enormous and the expectations are very high.
According to him, the council was established by Act No. 1 of 1998, Pursuant to Article 198 of the second republican constitution.
He further stated that the NCCE is an advocate of an inclusive democracy, development and social cohesion.
Mr. Joof asserted that the NCCE Act further mandates the council to create and sustain awareness of constitutional democracy for the achievement of political, economic and social stability, through civic education.
He also stressed that the NCCE could be referred to as the constitutional instrument mandated to continuously keep the nation abreast of all matters of public interest.
“ I must put on record the unflinching support and collaboration NCCE enjoys from development partners like UNDP, Action- Aid The Gambia, future in our hands, TANGO to name a few in civic education delivery,” he said.
For his part, Kebba Simma, Action-Aid International The Gambia, said the training is a continuation of a partnership agreement they have with the NCCE.
He welcomed the orientation of newly elected councillors on the Local Government Act, 2002 and human rights.
In his official opening statement, on behalf of the Minister of Lands and Local Governments, the Permanent Secretary, Saikou Sanyang, said the main objective of the workshop was to equip the councillors with the necessary tools to enable them discharge their duties and responsibilities.
These laws, he said, are enshrined in the 1997 Constitution and the 2002 Local government Act amended in 2004, 2006, 2007 and 2010.
He said the councillors are an integral and important part of government, because they are close to their communities, to whom they are to provide basic services and promote social and economic development.
The provision of a clean and drinkable water, sanitation, refuse removal, construction of markets park and recreation facilities are among the numerous and important matters councils deal with as contained in the 2002 Local Government Act and other relevant pieces of legislation, he said.
“To enable councillors perform their duties satisfactorily, they must know the laws that deal with not only with their rights and freedom, but the rights and freedom of those they serve and those they relate to during the course of their functions,” he concluded.