Lawmakers Trained on Monitoring Government’s Programmes and Projects

• Posted by Modou S. Joof on March 21, 2010 at 5:58pm
• View Modou S. Joof's blog

Banjul, The Gambia (TNBES) In a bid to ensure transparency and accountability, lawmakers in Banjul were on Tuesday started a three-day capacity building on monitoring government’s programmes and projects.

The training programme, organised by the Pro- Poor Advocacy Group (Pro-PAG), was held at the Baobab Holiday Resort from 9^th to 11^th March 2010.

The programme was aimed at enabling National Assembly Members (NAMs) to take a proper monitoring of government’s programmes and projects to ensure transparency and accountability on how public services institutions and enterprises are handled.

In his opening address, the Deputy Speaker of the National Assembly noted that the National Assembly is an arm of government with responsibilities, however, he noted lawmakers cannot take this
such a responsibility without been capacitated and equipped with the relevant
information they need.

Honorable Abdoulie Bojang pointed out that Pro-PAG is equipping NAMs in a formula term of looking at their oversized function and also balances
checking in the public sector.

“As we are answerable to our people on anything we do at the national assembly, because they are the people who voted us in parliament,” Bojang said.

He also explained that it is their duty as lawmakers to look into the challenges and constraints faced by tax payers and duty bears, for their voices to be hard were decisions are taken in
all government programmes and projects.

“Lawmakers are also empowered to make leaders answerable to the National Assembly as they (the lawmakers) are answerable to their people in a transparent and accountable manner,” he said.

According to him, this will make all components of the government to be effective in terms of productivities and economic growth, but he was quick to note that this can only happen with the
involvement of the community and the civil society to better understand
government’s commitment to their welfare.

The Deputy Speaker said that the training could not have come at a better time as members have only two terms left at the National Assembly. “This should have come immediately at our first
term in office in order to better equip them on how to monitor government
programmes and projects.

He also added that the training will help them in their remaining two terms to work harder to put some changes in the public service sector. Vol:2 Issn:128