National Assembly Members were, last Saturday, briefed on the 2008 budget and sensitised on the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) and PRSP at a one-day forum held at the paradise Suites Hotel in Kololi.

In officially declaring the session open, Hon Fatoumata Jahumpa Ceesay speaker of the National Assembly applauded the organisers, the Pro-Pag advocacy group, for their continuous and relentless support to the peoples representatives. She further praised the group for their immense contribution to building the capacity of the august Assembly to better understand development frameworks, the national budget, advocacy issues and all the relevant instruments that enable them to perform their duties as National Assembly Members.

“It is my conviction that our deliberations on the 2008 budget and the MDG’/PRSP advocacy strategy will enlighten and pave the way for high level debate in the National assembly during the next few days in the lead up to the budget speech”, she said.

Speaking earlier Sheik ET Lewis, Secretary General of Pro-Pag, called for the empowerment of National assembly Members as they work to empower the population.

Other speakers included the Director of Pro-Pag Dr Siga F Jagne.