Fambul Tok holds peace and development dialogue in Moyamba District

By Alie Turay
Moyamba District stakeholder mapping out ways to resolve challengesFambul Tok over the weekend engaged community leaders in Moyamba District on peace and development.
According to John Caulker, Executive Director of Fambul Tok, the meeting was a follow up to a previous one held last December. He said the meeting aims at bringing together stakeholders in the district to dialogue, identify challenges and map out solutions to peace, monitoring government and Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) projects within the community for sustainable development.
The meeting, he disclosed, also looked at the roles and responsibilities of stakeholders in revenue collection, promoting transparency, accountability and bridging the gap between members of parliament, councillors, Paramount Chiefs, youth and other people in the community. The meeting also attracted the inter-religious council, petty traders and CSOs.
Prof. Bob Kandeh, Chairman of the program called on stakeholders to be frank in their discussion, noting that it is the only way to usher peace and development in Moyamba district. He thanked Fambul Tok for bringing the stakeholders together in such a forum.
Hon. James M.D. Alie, thanked Fambul Tok for organising the forum and assured that it will help restore peace and generate transparency in the community. He maintained that the forum has bridged the gap between the political and traditional authorities and the people they represent. He called on the district authorities to monitor government and CSOs projects within the district to ensure quality and to avoid replication of projects especially those implemented by CSOs. He thereby asked the authorities to set up committees that will look at the activities of all CSOs operating within the district.
District Officer, Prince Soriba spoke of challenges his administration is facing in terms of revenue collection, noting that it has affected the smooth administration of the district. He called on all authorities to come up with ideas that will enforce tax collection in the district.
PC Haja Koroma of Dasse Chiefdom admitted she had learnt greatly from the Fambul Tok dialogue. According to her there has been “a big disconnect” between the stakeholders in the district and revealed that the situation has affected the development of the district. She promised to take the massage to her people on their roles and responsibilities for the promotion of peace and development in her chiefdom.
Representatives of the inter-religious council in Moyamba district, Rev. Andrew G. Yavana and District Imam, Alhaji Alhassan Fofanah, commended Fambul Tok for involving them in the peace and development dialogue. Both maintained that this is the first time they are involved in planning for the district’s sustainable development. They thanked Fambul Tok for the initiative, because before now their role in such a program was limited to offering prayers. They vowed to take the massage to their congregations through preaches from the pulpits.
Mary Lalugba Vice-Chair of Moyamba District Youth Council thanked Fambul Tok for involving young people in the peace and development dialogue, noting that they constitute a greater percentage of the community. According to her, this is the only way peace and development can be achieved.