According to the Basse Area Council’s Board and Management (BSAC), the council invested more than six million dalasi in social services and infrastructure.
When the management appeared before the Finance and Public Accounts Committee (FPAC) on Wednesday, February 21, 2024, to give their activity report and financial statement, they included a report on this from their 2019 activity report.
The management of BSAC provided an explanation on its infrastructure development, stating that a total of D5,799,853.52 (five million, seven hundred and ninety-nine thousand, eight hundred and fifty-three Dalasi and fifty-two Bututs) have been spent throughout the period.
According to the council, this is consistent with their ongoing pledge to offer social services and infrastructure improvements to the local communities in the region.
“These consist of D5, 799,853.52 worth of clean drinking water provision, Bridges Courseways, youth development projects, Basse parking lot, and upkeep of Basse Main Market,” BSAC Management stated.
Regarding contributions and social services, BSAC Management stated that in order to guarantee that the supply of services to their taxpayers is not delayed, they are also acting quickly and making contributions to other social services in the Region.
In view of the aforementioned, the council declared that it will keep providing support to the following organisations in order to allow them to carry out their operations for the year in question.
“However, this has improved communication between Basse Area Council and its partner in the Region, and as a result, Council contributed D1, 170,319.76 to the aforementioned Departments for support during the reviewed year,” the statement stated.
The NDMA, Youth Development Fund, Regional Security Fund, Regional Sport Committee, National Events/Presidential Tours, Arts and Culture, and TAC/DCD/MDFTs are among the organisations that the council named in its 2019 report.
Regarding support for schools, the management stated that the Council, as an LGA, is required to help kids in need who fall under its purview.
Given this, the council provides scholarships to senior and postsecondary educational institutions in order to support schools. According to BSAC Management, seven medical students received financial assistance to complete a seven-year community doctorate programme at the University of the Gambia.
It was mentioned that three of the seven had finished their Community Doctorate programme with success. Additionally, each year the council offers deserving students a scholarship programme.
The management also stated that it has supported the waste management, electricity, and environment sectors. In the health sector, it has given Yorobawol Hospital a cleaner and Basse District Hospital ten security officers.
Regarding energy, it stated that it still pays accumulated arrears for prior years’ worth of water and electricity bills.
“As an LGA, Basset Area Council faces many difficulties with regard to environmental and waste management issues. To prevent unlawful dumping in Basse and its surroundings, we have established a dump site near Allunhari, according to BSAC Management.
The council claims that by using the aforementioned initiative, it is able to perform regular waste collection on the streets, monthly “Setsetal,” daily market waste collection, waste collection at Basse Car Park, medical waste collection from public health facilities, and daily maintenance of the market and parking lot public restrooms.
The council bemoaned its lack of resources, revenue suppression, late payment of taxes and government rates, and late payment of institution and company operating fees, among other difficulties it faces.
The council also stated that it is facing several challenges, including the Central Government’s untimely and unlimited return of parking fees, political meddling that limits the tax on property rates, the Council’s revenue sources continuing to erode back to the Central Government, and the Council’s biggest obstacle being paying the street lights bill.
The council made the following recommendation: “Government should assist in restoring the Council’s diminished revenue sources. According to the Scheduled in the Local Government Act of 2002, council demands that birth certificates, death certificates, and marriage certificates be registered under its jurisdiction. Council should be granted grants by the central government, and the government should assist and encourage the council in enhancing its partnerships with the public and private sectors.