The executing agency for the construction of the KMC and BCC headquarters is GAMWORKS. The source of the funding for these buildings should be known to the agency. There should be no dispute between central government and the councils on this matter.
It is claimed and Foroyaa will reveal the whole truth after comprehensive investigation that bulk of the funding was derived from an international funding agency and it was aimed at financing small to medium-scale operations in the public works domain, for the construction and rehabilitation of public and community infrastructures in both peri-urban and rural areas to increase the capacity of economic activities in order to alleviate poverty.
It is claimed that the OPEC Fund provided the lion share while the central government and the councils made their local contributions. GAMWORKS should issue a statement which is neutral and which aims to clarify its aim in the implementation of the project. It has a duty as an agency responsible for implementing public sector projects in the public interest.
In any case, section 157 of the Constitution is clear. It states in subsection (1):
“The public debt of The Gambia shall be a charge on the Consolidated Fund and such other public fund as an Act of the National Assembly may prescribe.”
It is evident from this that every loan is a burden to the tax payer. Claims and counter claims by central government in this score do not have much relevance and is counter-productive.
