The councillors in the West Coast Region last Wednesday converged at the Brikama Area Council conference hall for a two-day orientation on the Local Government Act 2002.
The forum that availed the participants opportunity to discuss human rights instruments and protocols was organised by the National Council for Civic Education, NCCE, in collaboration with Action-Aid International the Gambia and the UNDP, attended by various councillors, all of whom were welcomed to the occasion by the Governor of the region.
It was geared towards refreshing the minds of the participants on the Local Government Act and to enable them know their roles and responsibilities in their wards.
Speaking at the opening ceremony, Governor Lamin Sanneh described the orientation as very timely, noting that it is necessary for the councillors to satisfactorily perform in their wards.
He said they must be empowered to have the requisite apparatus to know their roles and responsibilities as people’s representatives.
He then used the occasion to call on the councillors to take the orientation with seriousness, as he puts it, it will yield dividend on them for effective and efficient implementation of their projects and programmes at their ward levels.
He also thanked the NCCE for their tireless efforts in ensuring that councillors are well-informed and sensitised about the Local Government Act, as he called on them to decentralise the orientation at all the regions.
For his part, the Chairman of the Brikama Area Council, Bakary S. Sanneh, expressed similar sentiment and then lauded the organisers for a job well-done.
Mr Lamin Nyangado, Head of Policy and Advocacy at Action Aid International The Gambia challenged the councillors to take ownership of the orientation, which he said, will greatly help them in their implementation process.
For his part, the acting -Chairman of NCCE, Alhaji Momodou Joof, stated that the NCCE Act mandates the Council to create and sustain awareness of the constitution.
He also asserted that the NCCE could be referred to as the constitutional instrument, mandated to continuously keep the nation abreast of all matters of public interests.
