By Fatoumatta K Jallow
Talib Ahmad Bensouda, the Mayor of the Kanifing Municipal Council on Thursday October 8th 2020, inaugurated the new structure at the Latrikunda Sabiji Market, to improve and promote the lives and livelihoods of the people of that community.
Mayor Bensouda in his inaugural speech said the Latrikunda Sabiji market is part of a hundred and ten million dalasi project with Gamworks which encompasses other projects including roads, the Bundung Maternity Ward, the KMC town hall and the Latrikunda Sabiji Market.
“KMC is ready to work. Many people were affected at the time we demarcated the market and we know that the 70 canteens will not be enough. But the job is not done yet and we will add another hundred shops,” Mayor Bensouda said. He assured those Gambians who previously had a place at the market not to worry because they will provide them with shops soon.
Director General of Gamworks Ebrima Cham, said Latrikunda market has been built to modern standards with two building blocks of seventy canteens and two offices on two floors; that the area has 485 m2 of concrete pavement to accommodate vendors; that the new market will provide employment opportunities and easy access to fresh food products for the local community.
Cham said the total cost of the market is D14 Million Dalasi, financed through the rural infrastructure development project with counterpart funding from the KMC.
Market President Badou Faal said the project is meant to implement infrastructure sub-projects identified and requested by Local Government Councils, Municipalities and communities throughout the country; that together with his committee, they commend and appreciate what the KMC has done and hopes that the people who have been left behind, will be brought back.
He said whatever the KMC does, is done with transparency and accountability.
Latrikunda Sabiji Ward Councilor Ansumana Bayo, said the market is not the only project that the KMC will carry out, that many more developments are in the pipeline.
Bayo said the lack of collection of waste is now history because the KMC has ensured that every place within the Municipality is cleaned and such will continue.
Lamin J. Jammeh, Chairperson of the KMC’s Committee on Markets said many people were relocated at the time the market was demarcated. He said all those who have been left behind will be brought back. But that whosoever had five shops before, will be given just one; adding that in this case, priority will be given to Gambians before anyone.
“There will be an extension for whosoever does not have a shop at the moment because we want to see that everyone gets a shop within the next ten months,” Jammeh concludes.
