The project, under the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development and International Development Association (IBRD-IDA), is aimed at addressing and resolving complaints efficiently and fairly, improving organisational processes and policies, enhancing stakeholder trust and satisfaction, and ensuring compliance with legal and regulatory requirements.
The project procedures includes receiving, registering, acknowledging, evaluating, investigating and developing a resolution. It also includes informing complainants, implementing resolutions, monitoring documents and closing, and giving feedback.
The project structure was linked into three schemes explicitly; local/community level, project level grievance resolution, and national legal level.
Speaking on behalf of the permanent secretary, the director general of the Ministry of Communication and Digital Economy, Lang Loum, stated that the occasion marked a significant step forward in ensuring that the voices of all stakeholders involved in WARDIP were heard and respected, adding that stakeholders concerns were addressed with fairness, transparency and accountability.
DG Loum emphasised the crucial role of the WARDIP project in driving digital transformation and economic growth across the region.
“The Grievance Mechanism will address issues that may arise during the project's implementation, reflecting our commitment to inclusiveness and transparency. We aim to foster trust among all parties involved,” he said, adding: “The Government of The Gambia fully supports this initiative.”
Mr Loum emphasised that they were committed to ensuring the effective implementation of the Grievance Mechanism with the highest standards of integrity, and his ministry, he added, is in collaboration with the Grievance Address Committee.
The committee would provide an oversight to ensure timely and fair resolutions hence the mechanism represents their commitment to good governance and aligns with the Government's agenda for transparency, human rights, and sustainable development.
Additionally, he stated that stakeholder engagements were vital for the continuous improvement of the WARDIP project.
