The Commonwealth Local Government Forum (CLGF) and the Gambia Association of Local Government Authorities (GALGA) have agreed a programme of work to build own-source revenue capacity across the local councils of the Gambia.

The project entitled: Local government resource mobilization, lobbying and advocacy strategies  will support GALGA to develop resource mobilization, lobbying and advocacy strategies for the eight Local Government Authorities in the Gambia as well as a strategy specifically developed for GALGA itself to build its own financial resilience and allow it to support its membership in a consistant and sustainable way moving forward. This project work, supported by the European Union will run until April 2025 and will look to identify new funding sources, build capicity of local councils to access and manage funds and will contribute to the sustinable delivery of services to citizens across the country. 

“We are grateful to CLGF for understanding with us the need to encourage own resource mobilization within our Councils which can help in increasing their services to the tax payers,” said GALGA President Mahamadou Ceesay. In addition he stressed that GALGA has high expectations that there will be a positive shift in Local Councils’ resource mobilization and their capacities will be enhanced to lobby for projects and advocate good practices in local governance, particularly on voluntary tax payment.

Claire Frost, CLGF Head of Programmes said:  "This work looks to support ongoing intergovernmental dialogue on financing for development, and build the capacity of the local government authorities and GALGA to play their essential role in intergovernmental relations,ensuring that the voice of local government is heard in policy making and implementation".