Mayor Talib Ahmed Bensouda recently stressed the importance and urgency of strengthening decentralisation by further empowering local government administrations in The Gambia, maintaining that empowering local governance ultimately empowers the masses.
Bensouda made the statement while facing journalists on the sidelines of a recent high level inspection exercise for projects.
The projects included a mega assembly hall at the Charles Jow Memorial School, the tyre recycling plant at the Bakoteh Dumpsite, the compost plant at the Bakau Women’s Garden.
The Mayor Bensouda was impressed, highlighting that the number of projects implemented and their magnitude always amazes him. He noted that the KMC has implemented many projects in the past, but he spoke about these ones because they were the ones in progress.
“Actually, we have two other projects in the Serrekunda Market, but because we are going to open it next week, we thought we would wait until the opening. However, today you can see also the diversity and range of the different types of projects,” he said.
Highlighting the three mega projects inspected, Bensouda maintains that this “just shows you that KMC is truly working for the people. Wherever they are, we are trying to fulfil their needs”.
He added: “All of these are multimillion-dollar projects. All these projects are above D10 million, and you can see very sophisticated, advanced machinery. So, you know, we have always said there has never been an area council like KMC.”
“We have done so much in so little time, and that is why we advocate for local government decentralisation. You empower local governance, you empower the people, because this is grassroots governance.
