By Lamin B. Darboe
Information Officer, PMO
Permanent Secretary (PS) at the Personnel Management Office, (PMO) has addressed the 2nd Cohort of 17 Permanent Secretaries, 8 Deputy Permanent Secretaries, Accountant General and Government Spokesperson during the start of a weeklong capacity building training on ‘Public Policy and Governance’ held in New Delhi, India from 16-21 May, 2022.
The capacity training was fully funded by the Government of India.
Delivering his statement at the training, Mr. Lamin Jawara said the capacity building support from the government of India is quite timely which he added will complements the implementation process of the country’s Civil Service Reform Program 2018-2027.
“Our current Civil Service Reform Program is anchored on six strategic objectives, one of which aims “to systematically identify and sustainably close capacity gaps in the Civil Service,” PS Jawara informed.
He emphasized that training is undoubtedly going to contribute significantly to achieving Strategic Objective 6 of the country’s current Civil Service Reform Programme, 2018-2027.
He underscores the fact that, The Gambia having emerged from over two decades of autocratic rule in 2017, capacitating Civil Servants was identified as a key challenge, as the Civil Service lost most of its trained and highly skilled personnel on account of high rate of staff attrition.
He underscored the need to rebuild the lost capacity of the Civil Service with the restoration of greater democratic governance in 2017. Capacity building accorded the attention it deserves as a key component of our current Civil Service Reform Programme.
PMO boss described the training of a batch of the Senior Management Cadre of the Civil Service of The Gambia by the Government of India as timely and he recalled that the first batch of 25 officials of the Senior Management Cadre were trained by this Centre in 2020 comprised of 7 Permanent Secretaries and 18 Deputy Permanent Secretaries.
According to PS Jawara, he is aware of the numerous scholarship opportunities India Government has been providing to The Gambia during the past decades, of which he was one of the beneficiaries.
Many Gambians who similarly studied in India in the past, he added, are today serving the Gambian Public Service in different capacities, ranging from, Permanent Secretaries, Ambassadors to High Court Judges.
“On behalf of the Minister of Public Service of The Gambia, I am hereby expressing my appreciation through Indian Prime Minister’s Office and Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions for the massive support being rendered by Government of India in enhancing the capacity of the Senior Management Cadre of the Civil Service of The Gambia on Public Policy and Governance,” PS Jawara concluded.
Dr. Jitendra Singh, Hon. Union Minister of State, Prime Minister’s Office, Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions, Science and Technology; Earth Sciences; Atomic Energy and Space, Government of India described the relationship between India and The Gambia as cordial.
“I assured you of India Government’s continued support to Gambia Government especially in the areas of capacity building among others,” Dr. Singh assured senior government officials.