Press release
Following the early morning down pour on Thursday 23rd June 2022 which led to some flooding at the Latrikunda Sabiji market, the Kanifing Municipal Council wishes to clarify that the flooding was caused by the blockage of the main drainages along the Brikama highway.
The National Road Authority (NRA) being responsible for these drainages has been cleaning them for the past years but were yet to clean them this year and the blockage obstructed the free flow of the water thereby causing the flooding at the market.
However, it is important to noted that the Kanifing Municipal Council has already cleaned over 50 drainages and also excavated in collaboration with the National Disaster Management Agency (NDMA) canals situated in hot spots areas such as the Sankung Sillah Exchange Point and the long stretch Kotu-Bundung canal which totals to over 30 kilometers within the municipality.
These drainages and canals cleaning exercise has been a regular activity for the Council since 2018 and it is fully funded from the Council’s annual disaster mitigation budget. Currently, Council has started to open and clean the main drainages along the Latrkunda Sabiji market to minimize or avert where possible another flood. The council is also working to start the pavement of the road from the main highway through the market to the Bundung-Bambo garage which is geared towards addressing the threat of another flood.
On behalf of the Lord Mayor and management, Council sincerely expresses its deep sympathy with those affected and will work closely with the NRA and NDMA to avoid the occurrence of another flood within the municipality.
