Passengers plying the Banjul / Barra crossing point, have lamented the sore sight of the terminal entrance, especially during the rainy season. Most of the passengers who spoke to this reporter, decry the flooding that takes place with raw sewerage emptying from the drainages, bringing with it a foul stench that one cannot even breathe. They say that it is extremely difficult to access the ferry at this time of year, because of the flooding that happens and that they cannot enter the ferry, without removing their shoes and pulling up their trousers. ‘‘This is a big disgrace for the country. Many foreigners use the terminal to cross to their various destinations. We normally hear them discuss the bad smell, the raw sewerages and waste, that is dumped in the area as if the terminal is a dump site,” on passenger told this reporter. He added that they cannot move with their luggage and other belongings, through the filthy water, to get to the terminal building to board the ferry.
One Mustapha Ceesay of Tabokoto said the authorities have to come to a decision on the flooding of raw sewerage at the entrance of the Banjul Ferry Terminal, and put a definitive end to this, adding that the smell alone coming from this filthy water, is unbearable for even animals, not to talk of human beings. He further said that the sight of seeing faeces floating in the flood waters at the terminal entrance is a disgrace for the City Council and Health authorities.
If readers can recall, a similar incident was reported on 26 September of last year, 2017, under the caption: ‘‘PUBLIC TOILET SEWAGE PIPE OVERFLOWS, Pollutes Environment with Pungent Smell’’, in Issue No. 179/2017.
In this article, it was the main sewage pipe connected to the public toilets situated at Wellington Street near the Banjul Ferry Terminal, that overflowed its contents of human waste in the streets. The situation happened after the heavy downpours of Sunday, 23 September 2017, which flooded the pipe.
Eye witnesses explained that, the street of Wellington was flooded with raw sewage that came from the public toilet situated at the ferry terminal, causing a serious health hazard to the people in the vicinity. Both businesspersons and customers indicate to our reporter, that they were driven by the horrible smell of human waste, causing all businesses to come to a complete halt; that it was difficult to do business within the vicinity.
At the same time last year and on the same story, we contacted the PRO of the Gambia Ports Authority, who said the authorities of the GPA Ferry Services were very much concerned with the hygiene and safety of their clients and that the overflowed sewage pipe was blocked to capacity and as a result of the deluge, it flooded and overflowed, noting that this happens when the downpour is heavy. He added that the GPA Ferry Services toilet pipes, are connected to the main sewage pipes in the street, which NAWEC is responsible for; that at times when such things happen, they call for the services of Gomez Trading Company, to do the drainage works.
Foroyaa will get in touch with the authorities to get their views on the matter.
