Pro-PAG holds AGM

Po-Poor Advocacy Group recently held its 2nd Annual General Meeting at TANGO office in Kanifing.

In presenting the review of progresses registered by the group between 2007 and 2011, the executive director of Pro-PAG,  Omar O. Jobe, said their vision is to have a poverty-free Gambia where every man, woman and child has equitable access to productive resources and basic social services.

Jobe told the gathering that Pro-PAG is an established centre of excellence in research, lobbying and advocacy.

According to him, Pro-PAG serves as a watchdog agency to advocate for improving the standard of living of the poor, the marginalised and excluded, especially women, girls and children.

He said they are doing this by empowering them to actively participate in transparent and accountable development of pro-poor policy, project and programmes and in budgetary formulation processes and expenditure tracking.

Mr Jobe stated that the new management will put more emphasis on strengthening the organization so as to fulfill its vision.

He also highlighted some of the constraints facing the NGO, such as finance.

Also at the AGM, the financial statement for the year ended 31st December 2010 was presented by the auditor of the fund, Amadou Sanneh and Co.

The auditors also highlighted some organizational lapses such as lack of documentation in certain administrative decisions.

The auditor recommended that the management of Pro-PAG through the administrative unit should ensure to update all personal files of staff at all times.

Meanwhile, at the end of the event, new members were elected to serve in the Pro-PAG board. They include Dr Lamin Sidibeh as the chairperson and Mrs Mariatou Loum of WISDOM as Vice Chairperson. The institutional members are Nova Scotia Gambia Association, ActionAid The Gambia, Family Planning Association, FAWEGAM and ISRA.