By Mafugi Ceesay
Billay G Tunkara, the UDP national assembly member for Kantora has confirmed to The Standard that he has received information from the Minister of Fisheries that the government has opened negotiations with Senegal over the latter’s decision to block a waterway that streams from Senegal to parts of Kantora in The Gambia.
The stream flows from Niandouba in Senegal down to The Gambia but the authorities in Senegal built dam over it, blocking its passage to Kantora and Jimara.
“We used to have lots of water through the stream which is vital fishing, animal drinking spot among many other uses. But since it was blocked the people of the entire Upper River Region have been affected,” he said.
The blockage was built during the Jammeh era when relations between the two countries went bad characterized by border closures.
Now though, according to Hon Tunkara the Fisheries Minister has confirmed he is working with the Foreign Affairs and the Senegalese Ambassador to expedite the removal of the blockage.
Hon Tunkara said at the moment with the rains having started, water will overflow the dam and cross to the Gambia but if the blockage is not removed by the dry season there will be acute shortage of water for people and animals.
