As a prelude to the state opening of the National Assembly by the president of the Republic and its outreach programme and desire to bring the National Assembly closer to the people, stakeholders in the democratisation process of The Gambia, yesterday convened a one-day workshop targeting traditional rulers and regional governors/mayors on ‘democratic good governance and empowerment of local government administration,’ at the Atlantic Hotel, Banjul.  

Presided over by the speaker of the National Assembly, Hon. Fatoumatta Jahumpa-Ceesay, the workshop which was attended by secretaries of state and other senior government officials, enabled stakeholders to take stock of the state of progress as far as local government reform and decentralisation are concerned.

In his keynote address, Ismaila  Sambou, the secretary of state for Local Government and Lands, said that the electoral and political systems in The Gambia have significantly improved since 1994, under the leadership of President Jammeh. According to him, today, the political dispensation is transparent enough and encourages popular participation and citizen engagement in the political and economic development processes of the country. He urged stakeholders to build on the gains registered in good governance by constantly improving the process of implementing public authority, based upon universal principles of democracy, conducted through established and transparent structures of society.

As direct representatives of the people, SoS Sambou urged, National Assembly members and traditional rulers should always support democracy by being strong and effective so that they can serve the interest of the people in an open climate of transparency and accountability. He reiterated that it is for this reason that government recognises that improving the governance environment of the country is a necessary pre-requisite for the maintenance of sustainable development and the welfare of Gambians.

SoS Sambou then reminded NAMs and traditional rulers that they have an important role to play in decentralisation and local governance, given their roles and responsibilities in socio-economic development of The Gambia. He then expressed hope that the workshop will enable all stakeholders to identify their respective roles and functions, as they relate to democratic good governance and the empowerment of local administration in their respective areas of jurisdiction. He also expressed hope that the NAMs-district authorities forged alliance will continue as “it is beginning to pay dividend.”

He saluted Speaker Jahumpa-Ceesay for her dedication and commitment to the welfare of the Gambian people, saying "your efforts in organising this important workshop is highly commendable and a testimony to your desire for the advancement of democracy and local governance in The Gambia". He further thanked UNDP for funding the workshop.

For his part, Alhagie Demba Sanyang, Paramount chief of The Gambia, commended the speaker for yet another bold step. He observed that this close partnership between the legislature and the traditional rulers is a giant step towards maintaining democracy and good governance in the country. He expressed hope that the forum will help strengthen the Memorandum of Understanding between the legislature and the traditional rulers.

Sirah Ndow, representative of the UNDP resident representative in The Gambia, said there is universal consensus that it is the role of parliaments to promote good governance and democracy. According to her, democracy requires the existence of effective representative institutions at all levels, especially at local government and local administration levels. "Also important is a National Assembly in which all components of society are represented and which has the requisite powers and means to genuinely reflect the will of the people by legislating and overseeing government policies and actions. The National Assembly, also ensures accountability and transparency and serves as a forum for the expression of grievances," she said.

She then observed that local, regional and national governments must use their capacity and resources to deliver effective economic and social policies that promote human development and manage the public services that citizens expect and deserve. Madam Ndow added that the critical importance of nurturing democratic governance especially in developing countries was highlighted at the Millennium Summit, where world leaders resolved to "spare no effort to promote democracy and strengthen the rule of law, as well as respect for all internationally recognised human rights and fundamental freedoms, including the right to development".

She further observed that UNDP recognises this imperative and has designated good governance as a priority which must be strengthened and expanded as part of the strategy for sustainable human development. In  Africa, where the challenges to sustainable development are formidable, she said support to governance institutions has become a priority for the UNDP. "UNDP also supports national authorities in strengthening civic engagement at the local, regional and national levels. In accordance with these principles, UNDP in 2000, supported The Gambia in the implementation of a National Governance Programme (2004-2005), which has helped to extend and deepen understanding of the concept of good governance.

The programme has also assisted in short and medium terms capacity development in key national institutions including the National Assembly," she said. Today, she added, substantial progress is made; evident in the number of NAMs and National Assembly staff that received various forms of training and learning to enhance their performance. "Based on these achievements and in recognition of The Gambia’s continuing commitment to build a truly democratic parliamentary system, a programme to further support the capacity development of the National Assembly, was signed in July 2007 between the National Assembly and the UNDP, within the framework of The Gambia Government - UNDP Country Programme Action Plan, 2007-2011.

According to her, this programme supports the capacity strengthening of new members by addressing capacity gaps, through the provision of training on Public Policy Analysis; MDGs and PRSP processes; budget monitoring and expenditure tracking; IT training; the creation of the National Assembly website; training of 5 journalists on parliamentary reporting in Accra to ensure timely and proper reporting of National Assembly matters. Further, a well equipped resource center with internet access for NAMs has been established," she said.

She then expressed hope that the outcome of the workshop will pave the way forward for stakeholders who plan to support and work in partnership with local government authorities in the coming years. Abdoulie Manneh, permanent secretary, department of state for Local Government and Lands chaired the ceremony.