By Kebba Jeffang
National Council for Civic Education (NCCE), in partnership with Future in Our Hands-The Gambia (FIOH-TG), 
recently conducted two training and awareness raising workshops on civic education for communities in the Jimara district of Upper River Region (URR).
The activities, which were well attended by both men and women, provided a forum to ask and answer questions, as well as clear doubts on issues pertinent to the community.
Mr. Yusupha Bojang, the Programme Officer of the NCCE, said the activities are possible due to joint efforts to strengthen citizens’ civic consciousness, as well as facilitate the acquisition of knowledge, skills, positive attitudes and values for informed participation in the country’s democratisation process.
“Such programmes are important because they avail local people the opportunity to understand their rights and responsibilities as citizens for better participation in all matters that are relevant to them. This is the fundamental purpose of the creation of NCCE by the government and we have been working for the realisation of this goal across the country,” said Bojang.
He said the deliberations were centred on civil rights and responsibilities as per the Constitution, the Local Government Act, the Women’s Act and the Children’s Act.
Mr. Bojang said the beneficiary communities are Saare Jawbe, Saare Saada, Sinchang Banding, Saare Botche, Sinchang Jaanabo, Saare Ali, Sumaakunda, Saare Demba Dado, Saare Paate and Saare Njobbo, which are all in the Jimara district of URR.
Mr. Ansumana Yabo, Civic Education Supervisor at NCCE, thanked FIOH for the improving partnership while paying homage to their donors for supporting civic empowerment initiatives in communities.
For his part, Mr. Ebrima Drammeh, the programme officer of FIOH, said this is part of a wider Civic Education for Community Empowerment Project funded by the National Endowment for Democracy (NED).
He said “the project aims at enhancing local knowledge and understanding of the constitutional provisions and other legal instruments on the role and responsibilities of the citizenry, and the duty bearers, especially local administrators, in the overall dispensation of democracy and good governance, which is crucial to the socio economic development of the communities.”
He finally thanked the NCCE for their steadfastness in civic education delivery across the country, and assured them of their continuous collaboration.]]>
