By MUHAMMED S. BAH
As the rains began with gutters clogged with all sorts of rubbish, a team of volunteers embarked on a cleansing exercise in Campama Ward or Tobacco Road in the northern part of the capital city of Banjul to remove blockages to allow the free flow of water to avoid future flooding.
Organised by the Banjul North Youth Committee, the cleansing exercise involved some young and elderly members of the community of Tobacco Road, including the Ward Councillor, and in collaboration with the Banjul Disaster Management Coordination office.
The members of community, in highlighting the challenges they are facing, cited the poor state of the roads in Banjul and appealed for the intervention of government and the Banjul City Council to help rehabilitate the roads.
Speaking to Mr. Hudul E.N. Colley, Banjul Disaster Management Coordinator, during the weekend, he underscored the importance of cleaning the drains in Banjul and particularly Tobacco Road as it will prevent any flooding in the area during the course of rainy season.
“There are lots of blockages in the drainage system that caused the water not to flow and in most cases this is what causes flooding,” confirmed Mr. Colley.
He added that some of the volunteers who were taking part in the cleaning of the drains have received training on drainage and waste management organized by the National Disaster Management Agency (NDMA).
The Banjul Disaster Management Coordinator referred to Tobacco Road as a ‘hot spot’ and which means that it is prone to disaster arising from flooding, adding “this exercise will help the community to be free from blockages and floods.”
He concluded by thanking the volunteers as well as the Council
For his part, Mr. Dawda Drammeh, the Councillor of Campama Ward, also thanked the volunteers for the exercise. He also emphasized that the poor state of the roads is a matter of great concern and expressed his hope that there will be a lasting solution to the problem.
Ndey Kumba Njie, Ngui Njie and Babucarr Faal, who are all residents, commented on the importance of the exercise as it ensures a clean environment that deprives mosquitos a breeding ground and remove the odour coming from the open and blocked gutters in the area.
Modou Lamin Bah, Chairman of the Banjul Youth Committee (BYC), and Ebrima Njie, Banjul North Youth Committee Chair, have both called on young people to participate in such initiatives.
