By Madiba Singhateh
For families living along the Kotu Stream and in communities like Bakoteh, London Corner, Bundung, and Nema, the rainy season is a time of dread. Over the past few days, heavy rains have once again turned streets into rivers and homes into temporary ponds, leaving residents anxious, sleepless, and soaked in uncertainty.
Alkali Conteh, a father in Dippa Kunda, described the fear that grips his household: “When it rains, water is everywhere. We don’t sleep at night because we are afraid it will enter our homes. Last time it rained, my perimeter fence fell. Every year, it’s the same story.” The sound of water rushing past his home and the smell of damp mud have become constant reminders of a life disrupted by floods.
He blamed the government for the persistent flooding, warning that residents from Kotu to Abuko are living under constant threat. “Before this water channel was dug, we lived in peace. Now our lives have not been the same. Mosquitoes are everywhere, and conditions are deplorable. We need the WACA project to be completed urgently,” he said.
Modou Good, a longtime resident, recalled trudging through knee-deep water just to get home: “When it rains, we cannot even cross to Dippa Kunda. WACA keeps promising work, but every year it’s the same. If action isn’t taken now, the floods will only get worse.”
Nyima Drammeh described the frantic effort to protect belongings: “We have to lift bowls, rice, and utensils to keep them from getting wet. Every time it rains, we worry. WACA has visited, but we haven’t seen progress.”
The West Africa Coastal Areas (WACA) Project, a World Bank initiative, aims to reduce flooding and improve drainage. The Kotu Stream area, spanning 2,476 hectares with over 200,000 residents in 2020, is a priority intervention zone under the Kanifing Municipal Council in the Greater Banjul Area.
Residents now hope the long-promised project begins soon to restore safety, peace, and dignity in a community long haunted by seasonal floods.
