FOROYAA Newspaper (Serrekunda)
Musa Barrow
2 November 2009
The councillor for Sutukonding Ward, Wuli West, Mr. Saibeh Juwara said that sixty percent (60%) of Local Government's total revenue should be ploughed back to the tax payers.
This he said is in accordance with the Local Government Act which demands the said percentage be allocated for development projects.
Mr. Juwara who won his seat under NADD ticket said in order for the sixty percent to go back to the tax payers, rates and taxes should be paid on time.
He further explained that even though tax payers in his ward do not falter in their payment, , sixty percent is not yet transferred to them.
Asked about the remaining 40% of the Local Government's total revenue, the Wuli West councilllor said forty percent is being allocated to cover administrative costs, salaries of employees and bills.
As to what effort he made with a view to renovating the appalling road network across his ward, the Sukukonding Ward councillor said he raised the issue with the Chairman of Basse Area Council on several occasions. He noted that roads across his ward need renovation as they serve commuters from the whole of Wuli; Sandu and some Senegalese travelling to the commercial town of Basse.
Mr. Saibeh Juwara made this remarks in an exclusive interview with Foroyaa Newspapers, after attending a two day workshop for Ward councilors.
According to Mr. Juwara, the workshop was funded by the Commonwealth Secretariat and was aimed at training ward councilors on project designing, proposal and management under the local government programme.
He said the workshop which was also aimed at empowering ward councilors was attended by over one hundred and fifty councilors drawn from all over the country. He added that in attendance were Regional Governors, Chairperson of Local Government as well as Chief Executive Officers.
Mr. Juwara further hailed the workshop as a step in the right direction saying it empowers ward councilors who in turn should share the knowledge with people at grassroots level. However, he called for similar trainings noting that the just held one was rather short.
Juwara also said that the training has equipped him to better supervise some of the development projects underway at his ward.
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