By Bruce Asemota
Sheriffo Sonko, chairman of Brikama Area Council recently gave a cheque amounting to three million, five hundred and sixty-eight thousand, five hundred and twenty-five dalasi (D3,568,525.00) to four communities within which quarrying operations take place in the West Coast Region.
The four communities are Pirang, Gunjur, Sanyang and Kartong in the Kombo East and South districts of the region.
The disbursed funds are meant for the implementation of development projects in their respective communities.
In a grand ceremony organised at the Brikama Area Council premises last Thursday 19th August, the chairman called on the beneficiary communities to work with their Ward Councillors so as to achieve the aims and objectives of their various VDCs.
He said it is the goal of the council to engage the department of Geology to ensure that the funds generated from these communities are given back to the communities.
Modou Jonga, the Chief Executive Officer at the Brikama Area Council highlighted the objectives of the funds given to the beneficiary communities.
He said the disbursement of the funds is a fulfillment of the Brikama Area Council’s obligation to communities within which quarrying operations take place.
He further said that a total of seven community priority projects have been duly identified by respective Ward Development Committees for Gunjur, Kartong, Pirang, Sanyang.
CEO Modou Jonga disclosed that the identified projects include are the rehabilitation of women’s garden project in Berrending in Kombo South District, electricity expansion project in Kartong, rehabilitation of Kartong Badala fish smoking center, electricity expansion in Pirang Darusalam Kabilo, rehabilitation of a major feeder road connecting Tanji to Lamsarr, electricity expansion within three Kabilolu in Gunjur and construction of admission wards for the health post in Sambuya Village.
Mr Jonga encouraged the beneficiaries to utilise the funds for its intended purposes so that other communities could also benefit from similar intervention in the future.
The Governor of West Coast Region, Lamin Sanneh stressed the need to maintain peace in the region noting that without peace and stability no meaningful development can be achieved.
He said sand and gravel mining are controlled by the government and advised that these resources should be managed properly.
Demba Bah, deputy permanent secretary at the Ministry of Local Government, gave a keynote statement.
