|
Momodou
Denmark
11832 Posts |
 Posted - 06 Aug 2007 : 22:48:31
|
PLANNING UNIT SHOW COMMITMENT OVER COMMUNITIES’ NEED ON 2008 BUDGET
By Bubabcarr K. Sowe
Representatives of various planning units of the government have shown commitment to the priority issues raised by communities at the annual 2008 budget interface forum held at the Paradise Suites Hotel, Kololi on Friday, august 3.The event which is being facilitated by Pro-poor advocacy Group (Pro-PAG) since 2004 brings together representatives from the Western, North Bank, Upper River and Central River Regions (North) into discussion with the
government’s planning units where local communities put across their pressing issues for the next fiscal year.
Pro-PAG’s policy and budget analyst, Omar Jobe, told Foroyaa that they achieved more than they thought they would.
“All the planning Directors we targeted are here, and all of them have committed to take almost 90% of the priorities that are emerging from the community consultation on board without any problems, particularly for water”, Mr. Jobe said. He said the priorities for the various regions differ and the North bank
is much more concerned with water, the Western region needs more road
infrastructure, the central river region has diverse concerns such as road, access to health facilities and upgrading of schools, while the major priority for the Upper River Region is water.
Mr. Jobe added that this year’s forum is more successful than the previous years and they have been able to include the Central River Region (North) into the programme.
He said they could not include Banjul, the Kanifing Municipality, Lower River Region and the Central river Region (South) in this year’s participatory process due to financial and time constraints but that plans are in place to bring them on board next year.
Dr. Siga Fatima Jagne, Pro-PAG’s director, said at the opening ceremony that it is only by bringing the poor people’s priorities in the budget process that development can be achieved.
She remarked that the interface forum will create the enabling environment for the voice of the poor people to be heard by the technocrats who are involved in the planning of national development.
Omar Badjie of Action Aid – The Gambia said it is essential that the poor and excluded people are not only consulted just for the sake of it but the space is deliberately created for them to fully participate in programme initiation, planning, implementation and evaluation so that their views and aspirations are given due considerations.
Mr. Badjie said: “Participation therefore is not a favour or a privilege to be bestowed to the people by any duty bearer; rather it is a right that everyone must enjoy irrespective of ethnicity, religion, age or gender. Development policies and actions can only be legitimate if they are developed with active, free and meaningful involvement of the people whose lives will be affected by decisions taken.”
Abdoulie Jallow of the department of State for Finance and Economic Affairs said the outcome of the consultation forum will be considered in the preparation of the 2008 budget. Mr. Jallow informed the gathering that the Gambia government has recently been attested by the International Monetary Fund (IMF) on its Poverty reduction and Growth facility Programme and they are hopeful that in
September the country will have its debt written off and that would mean more resources will go into financing into the priorities raised by the communities.
Source: Foroyaa Newspaper Burning Issues
Issue No. 91/2007, 6-7 August, 2007
|
A clear conscience fears no accusation - proverb from Sierra Leone |
|
Topic Locked
