The Gambia Agency for the Management of Public Works (GAMWORKS), yesterday presented brand new IT equipment to the department of state for Local Government and Lands, at the Quadrangle in Banjul.

The materials which included desk top computers, Lab tops and laser jet printers, procured under the capacity building component of the Third Public Works project, was projected at D5.1 million and funded by The Gambia government with assistance from OPEC Fund for International Development.

This consignment of equipment came as a result of a request by the department of state for Local Government and Lands under the GAMWORKS capacity building component. The GAMWORKS capacity building component also funded the completion and compilation of the Local Government Financial Management Manual book, which was prepared under the participation of all the local government authorities and key stakeholders, such as the National Audit Office, department of state for Finance and the Gambia Public Procurement Authority.

The manual is geared towards helping better management of finance and resources of Local Government authorities (LGAs) and also to enhance the revenue base of the Local Government authorities in areas covered in the manual, such as budgeting, accounting policy and procedures and also procurement under the GPPA resolution, internal and external controls. Speaking at the handing over ceremony, Ebrima Cham, director general of GAMWORKS, expressed hope that the equipment will be put into good use, adding that they were procured in the request of the department of state for Local Government and Lands.

Abdoulie Manneh, permanent secretary at the same department of state for Local Government & Lands, spoke of the long-standing relationship between his department and GAMWORKS. According to him, the two institutions have had fruitful collaboration for some time now, noting that they have been working together in the area of infrastructural development and also improving the revenue base of his department.

According to PS Manneh, the two institutions share a very important common cause, that is, the improvement of the livelihood of all Gambians.
For his part, Alhagie  Ismaila Sambou, secretary of state for Local Government and Lands, said the president's move of dissolving the council before the election has made the council to be really more effective. According to him, since the dissolution of the old council and the setting up of a new one, there has been remarkable achievements in the local government sector.

He added that the whole work at the sector started changing as more income were generated, because there was a vigorous collection of the very needed revenues through the taxes and rates. He said they were not only collecting but that they were also administering in a transparent, accountable and responsible manner, which, according to him, serves as the foundation stone for the elected councillors. He spoke of the various development projects about to start in the councils.

SoS Sambou described education and training as important for the workforce. He commended  GAMWORKS for their continued support in building up the capacities of its staff.