By Olimatou Coker
Mansakonko Area Council on Tuesday awarded scholarships to staff members to undergo degree programs in different fields of studies both in the country and abroad.
The Council through its Chairman’s Office secured scholarship awards for two of its staff to undergo executive masters in city management in Morocco.
It also secured five scholarship awards for staff members to pursue bachelor degrees at the International Open University.
Furthermore, one hundred thousand dalasi will also be distributed among needy and deserving students in the region courtesy of the Council.
Buwa Kinteh, admin officer for Mansakonko Area Council in his remarks at the ceremony held at Council’s premises, said the day marks a turning point in the history of the Council.
He pointed out the competence of every institution heavily depends on the availability of competence and effective human resource of its staff members and therefore commended his chairman and partners for building capacities for competence of their staff members.
Landing B. Sanneh, chairman Mansakonko Area Council explained that when they assumed office, Council only had a single person with a higher national diploma. However, he said they knew that they would not succeed without the requisite capacity and competence of their staff and therefore decided to open invitations to staff and councillors to look for support and request for educational support from Council. He noted that through this, some of them were sent to various institutions to further their education.
“Today we have three people who have completed their master’s programme and four others with degrees,” he stated.
He also expressed plans to put Soma on the map by transforming it into a modern city and the implementation of a 17-million-dalasi women empowerment initiative geared towards providing alternative solutions for local economic development.
Sanneh further expressed their plan to create alternative options for women to avoid disforestation as well as launch another environmental project that will look at replacing trees.
Ansuman Kanagie, chief’s representative, thanked the Council for its foresight in awarding scholarships to its staff and students in the region. He called on natives of the region to pay their taxes to Council and on time for the development of the region as well as the continuation of such initiative.
Momodou Saidyba, chairperson for Mansakonko Area Council education sub-committee said their aim is to extend the scholarship to more students in the region.
Momodou Jallow, director of Regional Education Directorate Region 4 said the Ministry of Basic and Secondary Education (MoBSE) has made giant strides towards decentralisation, noting that the awards ceremony is therefore dear to them.
He noted that as a ministry, their desire is to ensure that every child in the country receives the desired education that would enable them to play a critical role in the development of the nation.
Jallow thanked chairman Sanneh and his Council for their foresight, noting that development starts from the base.
He observed that some area councils were being manned by people without the requisite knowledge in the past, adding that for us to develop as a country the people who matter in development should be capacitised to do their job deligently and efficiently.
He highlighted that the students scholarship will have a multiple effect and ensure that they are able to retain their students in the region, particularly their performing students.
Mustapha Batchilly, chief executive officer for Mansakonko Area Council said education is what can move a society and nation, noting that the more scholarships they have for students the more sustainable the region will be.
Mustapha Jagne, a beneficiary who will be undergoing his executive masters in city management in Morocco, expressed profound gratitude to Mansakonko Area Council for providing them with such an opportunity. He described the opportunity as a win-win for both beneficiaries and Council, adding that it will give them the opportunity to contribute to both the development of the Council and country at large.
