Bakoteh dumpsite issue still unresolved

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By Madiba Singhateh

The Bakoteh / Manjai dumpsite issue is still unresolved while the ban on dumping solid waste at the site still holds.

This standstill is a result of the community’s disagreement with the Kanifing Municipal Council regarding the management of the site. Information reaching Foroyaa indicates that while the council wishes to manage the dumpsite in consultation with the communities, the activists in those communities believe that the council has proved itself incompetent to manage the dumpsite and should now relinquish that role to the communities who have direct interest in its status.

Since last month, dumping was banned at the said site and nobody from the communities around the dumpsite or within the municipality is allowed to dump any waste at the site.

Visiting the site, this reporter saw some work in progress by the council as bull dozers can be seen levelling the ground.

Since no body is allowed to dump waste at the site donkey carts can be frequently seen carrying waste material and shifting direction towards another dumpsite in Tallinding beside the river.

Many people within the municipality now have difficulty in disposing of their waste materials.

This reporter spoke to the gateman at the Bakoteh / Manjai dumpsite and this is what he said: ‘‘No waste material is allowed to be dumped here and as you can see for yourself, we have bulldozers working here since morning.’’

Abubacarr Jeng, Chief Executive Officer Trustee Associate, told Foroyaa that they have no agreement with the council regarding the site, while the council is saying the opposite.

It could be recalled that the KMC stopped people from dumping waste at the said site, when the communities living within closed proximity complained and demonstrated about the serious pollution emanating from the dumpsite thereby causing sicknesses of all sorts to the members of the communities.