The West African Network for Peace building (WANEP) in partnership with Women Advancement and Child Care (WACC), a community based organisation in The Gambia, last Tuesday began a two-day capacity building training session for the Local Government authorities (LGA) in the Western region, on the theme: 'Effective local governance for peace building and sustainable development,' at the conference room of the Brikama Red Cross office.

The objective of the training was to highlight the importance of exercising development and enhancing the capacities of councillors on report writing skills, so that they will be able to serve their communities effectively; since they are the direct link between government and the community for development activities.

WANEP, an NGO, recognised government's efforts and its various attempts to respond adequately and effectively to the growing needs of the communities and providing better services given to the introduction of the Local Government Act.  That examplifies the concept of decentralisation that provides communities with the opportunity to further participate directly in their own development.

Speaking at the opening ceremony, Pamela Cole, national network co-ordinator of WANEP, guided the participants on the partnership between WANEP and the Local Government authorities. According to her, the Brikama meeting is one of the two major programmes WANEP intends to undertake in the five regions in the country for Local Government authorities. She said the training among other things, aimed at enhancing and developing councillors, and also to develop the capacities to learn, innovate, share knowledge and expertise.

She hailed the commitment of  councillors to ensuring peace and development. She added that the Local Government Act embraces the principles and the implementation of decentralisation. She said the Act is among the key issues of the training to be examined and discussed thoroughly. "Capacity building of relevant stakeholders and community empowerment forms an integral part of this process and creates the necessary environment for development," she noted

The Act, according to her, examplifies the concept of decentralisation, provides communities with the opportunity to further participate directly in their own development. "In view of this, WANEP wishes to contribute to the full realisation of this process by way of enhancing the skills levels of the councillors and other key Local Government authority stakeholders, as well as raising awareness geared towards promoting sustainable peace and development," she concluded.

For her part, Sainabou Faal, deputy governor of Western Region, underscored government's resolve in recognising WANEP's efforts and their various attempts to respond adequately for the growing needs of communities by providing services. Such training will provide communities with the opportunity to further participate directly in their own development. She observed that WANEP is committed to contribute to the full realisation of the process by way of enhancing the skills of the councillors and key Local Government authority stakeholders, as well as raising awareness geared towards promoting sustainable peace and development.

Deputy Governor Faal, advised councillors to network with Village Development Committees as well as the Ward Development Committees (WDC) so as to maximise opportunities, seek  support and scale up intervention by development agencies and effectively co-ordinate activities at ward levels, for sustainable development. Other speakers included Susie Townend, project manager; Bilateral Programme Fund, at the British High Commission and Momodou Jallow, CEO Brikama Area Council.