By Prince J Musa in Kenema
The Kenema City Council has presented a new project from the European Union to local authorities at the city hall, along Julius Maada Bio Street in Kenema. The project is meant to strengthen local governance, decentralization and sustainable urban development.
Addressing the local authorities including councillors, the Mayor of the municipality, Thomas Karim Baio described the occasion as a milestone for the people of Kenema. He said unfolding of the EU project coincided with the oath taking of the new councilor who was recently elected in a bye-election in Ward 069 in Kenema city. The mayor stated that the EU project which is to last for three years, will directly benefit the people.
‘’This is first in the history of Kenema city council to get an EU project under my leadership which we are proud as council’’, Mayor Baio stated.
Mayor Baio added that the EU project is to complement government efforts in bringing development to the people.
Outlining the thrust of the project, the Chief administrator of Kenema city council ,Joseph Gando disclosed that the council has secured 536,329 Euros from the EU that will go into the construction of culverts, bridges, health facilities , rehabilitation and construction of schools, provision of water facility and linking the city with new communities through road construction.
Gando stated that the first year of the project will involve coordination and awareness raising, formation of project management units, recruitment of staff and stakeholders engagement.
The chief administration further stated that the implementation of the project at various wards will be done based on a baseline survey which will be conducted by enumerators to ascertain the current developmental situations in those communities and identify areas of intervention.
He said the council will ensure operational analysis and financial management system and institutional capacity building of staff to ensure effective service delivery and improving revenue generation management.
‘’Anybody that wants to know about the Kenema city council should log onto the council’s website to access all the developments of the council’’, Gando disclosed.
He said councillors and administrative staff will be trained on municipal development programmes and internet connectivity. He said anybody that comes around the Kenema city council will access internet facility while the entire council’s activities will be uploaded to a council website that’s being developed.
One of the community stakeholders, Umaru Kondovoh thanked the council for their development efforts but however stated that, council should undertake a lot of sensitisation campaigns about their programmes. He also drew the attention of the council to far- flung and difficult to reach communities where most basic amenities are non-existent that he believed should have development taken to them.
Copyright © Politico Online 26/11/21
