By Awa Macalo
The mayor of Kanifing Municipality, Talib Bensouda, has disclosed his council’s plans to contribute over D4 million to the construction of the Bakoteh sustainable waste management project.
The project which will construct about two standard access roads within the dumpsite is expected to minimize risks and challenges children face crossing the dumpsite.
Mayor Bensouda said bulk of the funds will come from the council’s development budget.
“The project aims at constructing two access standard roads within the dumpsite; and open shed for segregation to enable waste collecting vehicles to navigate the sides more easily especially during the rainy season, improve emergency response through the installation of multiple fire hindrance, and enhance security through the provision of 30 solar lights and mobility for the KM municipal police,” he said.
He said the project when completed will also enhance the council’s initiative to ensure the municipal dumpsite remains clean at all times.
“This will help improve health and safety for those working on the dumpsite through the development of sanitary facilities and washing spaces,” he added.
The project coordinator, Muhammed Hassan Loum, said the construction is expected to last for twenty-six months.
“It has about four components; infrastructure, capacity building (skills training in fire-fighting, waste recycling), advocacy and sensitization (child’s rights protection; environment projection) and family strengthening (improved and sustainable livelihood),” he disclosed.
The project is funded by the German Ministry of Foreign Affairs (BMZ), Hermann Gmeiner fonds Deutschland (HGFD) and the KMC.
The implementation of the project started last November.
The project coordinator said an MOU was signed between the KMC and the SOS who are the implementing agent of the project.
“The project will aim to ensure that children and families in the neighborhood of Bakoteh dumpsite are protected from health and environmental implications,” he said.
The National director of SOS Children’s villages, Mariatou Sallah, commended KMC for always standing with them to protect the rights of children.
The Minister of Women, Children and Social Welfare, Fatou Sanyang Kinteh, thanked the SOS family for complementing the government’s efforts in protecting the rights of children.
She said the issue of the dumpsite has been a concern to the government.
