spot_img
spot_img
20.5 C
City of Banjul
Monday, February 17, 2025
spot_img
spot_img

KMC Mayor explains ‘Operation Sanity’

- Advertisement -

By Amadou Jadama

image 57

Mayor Talib Ahmed Bensouda of the Kanifing Municipal Council (KMC) Friday addressed what he called misconceptions surrounding the newly launched “Operation Sanity,” emphasising that the initiative targets only littering and waste management, and not street vendors as it is wrongly understood and being peddled.

The council recently launched the initiative to combat littering nuisance and restore cleanliness across the municipality.

- Advertisement -

The operation, according to Mayor Bensouda, is enforcing anti-littering laws enacted in 2020, with offenders facing fines of up to D1,000 or three months’ imprisonment.

He clarified that vendors are not being displaced but must maintain cleanliness in their areas.

Mayor Bensouda also refuted suggestions that the operation has been postponed, underscoring that the initiative is focusing on public health and environmental cleanliness, and will start on 27 January, with public education campaigns.

- Advertisement -

“This campaign aims to improve public health and environmental conditions, emphasising accountability for maintaining cleanliness. “The municipal police are tasked with implementing the ‘Operation Sanity’. Major Bensouda said the municipal police have received all the necessary training to ensure that they execute their duty with total respect to human rights standards.” 

Responding to questions on the continuous eviction of women vendors, Mayor Bensouda said the KMC is of the view that the women vendors should be provided with an alternative place before they are asked to vacate.

“The council has properties, and we have tried on several occasions to convince the government to give us our title deeds, but they refused. We could have used these properties to build more markets and create more space for these women,” he said.

Mayor Bensouda said it is disheartening that these women are removed from these places where they have been making ends meet without being given an alternative.

“We are very concerned and sympathetic to these women,” he added.   

Join The Conversation
- Advertisment -spot_img
- Advertisment -spot_img