Project Managers Forum wraps up

Various project coordinators recently took part in a one-day forum on project implementation to brief officials on the progress of their projects, which include execution level of budget and project activities, constraints and sustainability plans.

The move forms part of the Government’s efforts at ensuring effective and efficient implementation of Government programmes and projects with the ultimate aim of reducing poverty and increase growth as enshrined in the Programme for Accelerated Growth and Employment (PAGE) and vision 2020.

The forum, which attracted over thirty-five project coordinators or managers, was organised by Central Programmes and Projects Coordination and Monitoring Unit (CPPCU) under the Ministry of Finance.

The forum, well interactive in sharing idea and raising boring issues hindering the smooth implementation of various government projects, was held at the Atlantic Hotel in Banjul.

Speaking at the forum, Lamin Camara, director of CPPCU, said that since assuming office last year, he has seen the need for effective and efficient implementation based on the Paris Declaration of Aid Effectiveness.

He also stated that to achieve the blueprint, there must be effective and efficient project implementation.

Therefore, the CPPCU deemed it fitting to organize a project managers’ forum whereby project coordinators will meet and look at issues and put effort in place in addressing it through sharing experiences among themselves.

Mr Camara hailed the projects managers for responding massively to “this very important forum as far as project implementation is concerned”.

It is not easy to bring all project managers together for a day-long forum, he said, while thanking them for their response and level of participation in the forum.

Mr Camara added that the forum was focusing on implementation challenges, institutional implementation, duty waivers, issues concerning procurement procedures, disbursement issues from the donor level, among other related issues affecting fast-track implementation of projects.

He further stated that with the calibre of project coordinators involved, expectations of high success from the forum will be met. He also advised them to work as a network for the smooth implementation of their projects in the interest of the country.

He as well urged project managers to redouble their efforts and be more committed to the project implementation.

For her part, Madam Salimatou Touray, project coordinator of Gamjobs, expressed delight to be associated with the very important forum of project managers.

“This forum is very timely and will greatly help project mangers to know their gaps, challenges and constraints, in the implementation of projects,” she said, adding that the forum would help the project managers to resolve issues, and providing networking among themselves.

Madam Touray also used the opportunity to explain briefly about his project, saying Gamjobs was launched by the Government of The Gambia in collaboration with the UNDP and the Government of Kingdom of Spain.

The project is undertaken by government to address issues of unemployment and under-employment, specifically for young women and men in the country.

For his part, Bakary M.L. Kanteh, provincial operations director for NAWEC and the project coordinator for the rural electrification extension project, said: “This is a project that is covering for settlement in four regions excluding West Coast Region.”

While appreciating the essence of the project, Mr Kanteh said the project is worth US$20 million funded by the Ecowas Bank for Investment Development in India.

The NAWEC provincial operations director added that the importance attached to the forum “cannot be over emphasized as a lot has been discussed”. “Surely henceforth most of the issues hindering project implementation will be addressed as expected,” he said.