The ministry of Local Government and Lands recently organised a two-day retreat on the Mid Term Review on the PRSP 11, Vision 2020 and MDGs in Farafenni, North Bank Region.

The ceremony which brought together all regional governors, mayors, chief executive officers, chairmen of area councils and senior officials, aimed at looking at the country's attainment of MDGs and Vision 2020, constraints and what reforms are necessary to accelerate the process.  

PRSP II is a 5-year plan framework to enhance national economic growth and reducing income and non-income poverty. Speaking at the ceremony, Alhagie Abdoulie Manneh, the permanent secretary, ministry of Local Government and Lands, stressed the need for concerted efforts by all local government authorities and municipalities to work hand in glove to support the National Planning Commission towards the attainment of the policy objectives of the PRSP II, Vision 2020 and Millennium Development Goals, in order to improve the lives of the people.

PRSP11 objectives
He highlighted the objectives of the PRSP II saying it aims at creating and enabling policy environment to promote growth and poverty reduction; enhance the capacity and output of productive sectors - agriculture, fisheries, industry, trade and tourism - with emphasis on the productive capacities of the poor and vulnerable population; improve coverage of the basic social services and social protection needs of the poor and vulnerable; enhance good governance systems and build capacities of local communities and civil society organisations to play an active role in economic growth and poverty reduction; mainstreaming poverty related cross cutting issues into poverty reduction.

 He reminded the gathering of the Vision 2020 mission statement, which among others calls for  transforming The Gambia into a financial centre, a tourism paradise, a trading and export - oriented agricultural and manufacturing nation, thriving on free market policies and vibrant private sector, sustained by well educated, trained, skilled, healthy, self-reliant and enterprising population,  and guaranteeing a well balanced eco-system and a decent standard of living for one and all, under system of government based on the consent of the citizenry"

According to PS Manneh, the overall goal of the Department of Community Development is to improve the living standard of all Gambians in particular the poor in the rural and urban areas, through participatory development processes, skills development and the provision of micro finance services through specialized projects and programmes.