By: Fatou Krubally
Basse Area Council’s Deputy Chairman, Aboubacarr M. Danjo has called for greater transparency and accountability in the management of public funds, saying taxpayers have the right to know how their contributions are collected and utilized.
Danjo, who is also Councillor for Sara Ngai Ward, said local authorities must regularly inform citizens about council revenues, expenditures and development priorities to strengthen public trust and accountability.
“The people are paying their taxes and revenues, and those resources must be returned to them through development projects and services,” he said in an interview.
He adds that citizens who understand how public funds are collected, spent and the challenges faced by councils are better positioned to engage authorities and demand accountability.
Danjo disclosed that the council had generated between D7 million and D8 million in revenue during the current period, while meeting salary obligations for nearly 250 employees and funding development initiatives, including the drilling of boreholes and expansion of water supply infrastructure.
He commended residents of the region for their commitment to paying taxes, describing them as compliant despite recent adjustments to tariff rates.
According to him, citizens are more concerned about seeing visible improvements from their contributions than resisting tax payments.
“The people understand that costs have changed over the years. What they expect is for the money they contribute to come back to them in the form of development,” he said.
The Deputy Chairman also urged Gambians to maintain peace and national unity, particularly during the political season, warning against hate speech, tribal divisions and political intolerance.
He said political differences should not undermine national cohesion, stressing that the interests of the country should come before partisan considerations.
“We may belong to different political parties, but we are all Gambians. If we remain united and work together, the country will move forward,” Danjo said.
He called on citizens to respect the law and continue supporting community development through cooperation and civic responsibility.