By MUHAMMED S. BAH
The Banjul City Council (BCC), under the auspices of the new leadership, has set-up a task force to look into its operation and come up with recommendation upon which they will carve their development agenda.
During the launching ceremony on Saturday June 9th June at the BCC chambers, the Chairperson of the occasion and senior staff of the Council, Dawda Jones, said the taskforce was formed as a result of a resolution in a previous Council meeting; that the seven man team comprises experts from different backgrounds and fields, ranging from Education, Finance, Revenue among other expertise and headed by Abdoulie Jallow, a Banker and Financial expert.
The Chairman of the taskforce said his team will focus on economic growth, responsive management, improve governance, effective and efficient revenue collection, among other key matters.
“We shall start work as soon as possible and we will list down things needed for the execution of our duties,” Task Force Chairman Abdoulie Jallow, remarked.
The time frame of the team is said to be one month, subjected to possible extension if necessary.
Rohey Malick Lowe, the Mayoress of Banjul said it is important to note that Council is not paying any member of the taskforce; that instead they are doing it for the love of their country and their City.
Mayoress Lowe said the taskforce will ease their work and give them the right directions to source for resources and tools and where to spend capacity to deliver the pledges they made to the people of Banjul, in order to serve them better.
Mayoress Lowe said the city is in an emergency situation that needs urgent attention.
“In order to rescue Banjul, we need resources before any constructive work can begin,” she said.
Addressing the gathering, Buba Sanyang Permanent Secretary One at the Ministry of Local Government and Lands, assured that his Ministry will support what he calls “a great initiative”; that, this is not a witch hunt but rather the right step towards the development of the City of Banjul; that the taskforce will put Council on a right footing, to make proper rehabilitation of the City.
The CEO of BCC Mustapha Batchilly, express similar remarks; that the initiative will help strengthen the work of the Council towards serving the people of Banjul.
Some of the Councillors who spoke to this medium on their views about the development include Tunko Jammeh of soldier town Ward. Jammeh said that the initiative taken, will help clear his doubts as to what funds or resources are available to Council; that the last Council was dissolved without a proper update on its financial resources or any other relevant issue that should have been communicated.
The new leadership of the Council is barely 20 days in office, and in the execution of their work, this is one of the first major policy initiative taken, to shape their developmental agenda.
Members of the taskforce are: Abdoulie Jallow, Sulayman Njie, Ndenne Senghore, Kunta Sissoho, Babucarr Foon, Gibbi Bah and Seedy Kinteh.
The ceremony was witnessed by the nine elected Councilors, members of the Press, Senior BCC staff, officials from the Ministry of Local Government and Lands, among others.
