The Ministry of Regional Administrations, Lands and Traditional Rulers in partnership with GAMWORKS Agency, Friday officially launched a US$18.02 million Community-based Infrastructure and Livelihood Project (CILIP) in the Lower River Region and Central River Region (South).

The launching ceremony was held at the Rural Development Institute in Mansakonko, Jarra West District. In his launching statement, Alhaji Lamin Waa Juwara, the minister for Regional Administrations, Lands and Traditional Rulers reaffirmed Gambia government’s commitment to uplift the country’s status quo, adding that the government under the able leadership of President Jammeh has created the enabling environment for development to take centre-stage in the country.

He disclosed that the CILIP Project is a Gambia government and the Jeddah-based Islamic Development Bank Funded Project to the tune of US$18.02 million, aimed among other things, to empower communities by enabling them to have increased access to finance, ownership and maintenance of socio-economic infrastructure and livelihood community projects in selected rural and peri-urban areas in the country.

Minister Juwara urged stakeholders and others to take ownership of the project by contributing their part so as to pave the way for its smooth implementation not only in the LRR but also in other regions and municipalities in the country.

Ebrima Cham, the director general of Gamworks in his welcoming statement, expressed appreciation and delight over the launch of the project both in LRR and CRR (south) saying the primary goal of the project is to support the government’s strategy to reduce poverty among the rural and peri-urban population in a sustainable manner.

He called on the beneficiaries to take ownership of the project by making sure that they play their part by contributing towards the project as it is here to enhance, strengthen and finance the community driven-demand infrastructure and livelihood activities of the beneficiaries in the country.

LaminDarboe, the governor of Lower River Region said the launching of the project is another milestone in the socio-economic development of the country. He called on all especially the beneficiaries to put all hands on deck so as to ensure that the project is sustained for the benefit of all. Governor Darboe assured of his office’s continuous support for the successful implementation of the project in the region.

Maria Dacosta, the national project manager of the CILIP Project thanked stakeholders for honouring their invitation. She explained that the CILIP project has a national scope and will be implemented in all the six regions and the two municipalities of KMC & BCC. She also disclosed that the project targets 200 settlements, while 78 households are to benefit directly from it.

Other speakers at the launching included Dr. SIDI Jammeh, the adviser and consultant of the CILIP Project and Yaya Jarjusey, the chief of the district.