CRC asked to empower local government in the new constitution

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By SULAYMAN WAAN

Residents of Central River Region (CRR) north have on Wednesday called on the Constitutional Review Commission (CRC) to empower the Local Government in the upcoming constitution so as to develop their respective areas.

The CRC was established by an act of parliament to review the 1997 constitution, analyze it as well report to the executive.

Earlier in 2018 the CRC embarked on a nationwide public consultation and engaged the masses on their opinions concerning the constitutional review process.

Many raised concerns about what they wanted to be constitutionalized and the laws they wanted to be revised.

The commission has embarked on a second public consultation in order to get the public opinions before the final review of the constitution.

Section 202 (1) of the draft constitution states, “A local government shall be based on a council which shall be the highest political authority, for local governance, within its area of jurisdiction and which shall have legislative and executive powers to be exercised in accordance with the Constitution and an Act of the National Assembly.”

Speaking to The Monitor in an interview in a CRC public consultation; held in Kaur, Central River Region, Mamat Mbaye, former chairman of the Kuntaur Area Council said that the Local Government should be empowered to enact laws at regional level and not to allow only the National Assembly to establish the entire laws.

Former chairman Mbaye said the new constitution should only mandate the councils to be accounted by the Council’s Account Committee (CAC), adding that the Public Enterprise Committee (PEC) of the National Assembly should not account the council hence the councils have such committee in every Local Government.

“The 1997 constitution states that 25% of the total budget of the area councils should be subverted by the central government. However, I have been a chairman of the Kuntaur Area Council for the past ten years but I have never seen that money coming from central government. Then the new constitution should empower the councils to get this subvention,” he stated.

He added that government is supposed to provide general grants to councils but it had not been given to the council.

He further said the the new law should regularize that to ensure regional governments’ development.

Musa Jerreh Touray, resident of Balagarr Kerr Macjar stated that the CRC should empower the Local Government in the new constitution to ensure central government support to the councils financially to develop their respective Local Government Areas (LGA).

According to him, the revenue that councils generate is too small and they (councils) have much works to develop their respective LGA, therefore, they need financial support from central government.

“For government to empower the councils CRC has to provide laws that empower the Local Governments,” he said.

Speaking further, he said central government is paying chiefs through the area councils but the cheifs’ staff are not paid salary because the councils lacks the financial capacity to pay people working under the chiefs such as court members.

“The councils only give the court members D1000 as monthly allowances. This is not enough for them, if they are not satisfied with the salary. They will quit the job,” he said.

Katim Touray, resident of Balagharr Benteng believe that the new constitution should empower the Local Government, especially the councils because the councils have lots of work in their respective areas.

“If the councils are empowered, they can bring more development such as constructing roads, boreholes, provide electricity among others,” he said.

He however, suggested that the commission should as well draft good laws for councils that would empower the councils’ officials such as councilors and other staff to have mobility to enable them work effectively.

Yahya Sama, participant said that the new constitution should mandate the councils to work independently without executive interference, adding that the councils’ political leadership should entirely control their LGA.

He said the revenues generated by councils should be ploughed back to the communities as development projects.

Maimuna Barry, lady councilor for the Niani District called on the CRC to make sure there are good laws that enable councils to receive subventions from central government to develop their respective areas.

She added that there should be provisions in the upcoming constitution that empower the lady councilors, saying the councils are unfair to women leaders because they are giving projects to ward councilors and marginalize the lady councilors.

“As long as ward councilors are paid salaries, the new constitution should as well mandate us to have salaries,” Maimuna opined.

“In fact, the new constitution should empower lady councilors to have budgets so that we can implement projects for women.”