An honourable member of the National Assembly has described the country's legislature as a "21st century assembly".

Yerro Mballow, the member for Lower Fulladou West, argued that the country's legislative body always speaks for the interest of the citizens, and that the needs of the people have been the Assembly's foremost priority. "In fact, it is now a 'Bantaba' for Gambians, where every development for the country derives its root," he told participants.

Honourable Mballow made these statements last Friday during a one-day workshop on an FAO-Gambia government funded project supporting   the National Forest Inventory. The workshop was organised by the Department of Forestry and the  Environment and was held at the Baobab Holiday Resort.

Honourable Mballow said that the National Assembly is a fundamental sector of the country's democratization process and cannot be left out if  national development is to take place. He used the opportunity to thank The Gambia government and the FAO for their support, noting that this will facilitate the management and easy control of the country's forest resources.

He then urged the Forestry Department to endeavor to popularise the project throughout the country. He also assured the Forestry Department of the Assembly's continued and unflinching support for them "at any time of call."

The coordinator of the National Forest Inventory Support Project, Sam Nget, said the project would be implemented in a participatory manner. He added that the project was designed in such a way that all stakeholders will have a role to play. He also assured the gathering of the successful implementation of the project.