By Aisha Tamba
The Mayor of Kanifing Municipal Council Talib Bensouda has revealed that his council’s budget will reach D438 million by 2023, representing a 400% increase in income.
“In 2017, before we came into office, the Council’s budget was
D117million; in 2022 we reached a milestone of D344million representing a 300% increase and in 2023 we have budgeted
D438million which will represent a 400% increase in income. This means KMC is able to provide four times the level of service to its residents as before we assumed office,” Bensouda said at the launching and distribution of 10, 000 waste bins to communities within KMC.
He went on to state that KMC is also working on building over 38-kilometer roads connecting every ward in the municipality over the next five years in addition to providing the first municipal affordable housing company project designed to build 8000 affordable homes for young and less privileged families within the municipality.
The Council, he added, would develop the first fully mechanised solid waste management plant and transfer station in the country as well as develop seven new markets with 1000 new vending spaces that would double the current market capacity of KM.
According to him, the Council under his leadership has a defined road map and would work diligently and tirelessly to implement and deliver the action plan to change and transform the landscape of KMC and the country.
The mayor thanked the European Union for their invaluable support in funding the Kanifing Environmental Transformation Programme (KETP) project with a grant of 3 million Euros.
Meanwhile, the 10, 000 waste bins will be distributed into communities within KMC to further accelerate the realisation of Council’s waste management strategic goals and targets.
The bins are the first phase of Council’s ‘1 bin per household’ initiative and would be distributed to 25% of its 35,000 communal households and 500 business operations.
