By Arret Jatta
While standing in for the minister of environment at the National Assembly on Monday, during the second reading of the Waste Management Bill, Local Government Minister Hamat Bah criticised all area councils for failing in waste management.
The bill seeks to provide for the control, movement, safe management and disposal of waste and connected matters
“Regarding the issue of the area councils, they need to buckle up and assume their responsibility, because whether we like it or not, area councils throughout the Gambia are failing in the process of waste management. Most of them cannot handle it,” he told lawmakers.
He however noted that there have been recent improvements in Banjul, but he questioned its sustainability and how far the efforts can continue.
With a good number of the councils controlled by the opposition, Minister Bah was quick to state that his remarks have nothing to do with politics but national interest.
He went on to say that once the bill is enacted, the National Assembly should use its oversight function to make sure that the councils and the NEA work together to deliver the dividends and the importance of this bill to the Gambian people.
Additionally, he stated that the National Assembly needs to make sure that the resources that the councils are collecting are collected well, and that the National Assembly should appropriate enough money for the environment agencies for the country to attain the ultimate objective of having a clean environment.
Minister Bah also highlighted that if the bill is enacted, it will cater for the councils’ responsibilities in terms of finances to reinforce the law.
The bill was later referred to the Assembly’s Business Committee for committal to either a committee or plenary by the Speaker.
