By Mafugi Ceesay
The Mayor of KMC, Talib Ahmed Bensouda Thursday inaugurated the D14 million Latrikunda Sabiji Market.
Speaking at the ceremony, the Mayor disclosed that the market is part of D110 million project meant for the building of Bundung Maternal Hospital, KMC town hall and other feeder roads.
He said the market project was financed through the rural infrastructure development project with counterpart funding from Kanifing Municipal Council. The Rural Infrastructure Development Project is a 14 million Dollar Gambia government project financed by the OPEC Fund for International Development (OFID). The project is under the purview of the Ministry of Lands and Regional Government and Gamworks is the implementing agency.
The main objective of the project is to implement infrastructure subprojects identified and requested by councils, municipalities and communities throughout the country.
According to Mayor Bensouda, another 100 stores will be built in addition to the already built 75 stalls. The director general of Gamworks, Ebrima Cham said the market is built to fit modern facility with two building blocks of 70 canteen/shops and two offices on two floors. It has also got some 485 m2 of concrete pavement which can accommodate a number of vendors.
The Gamworks boss said the market will provide employment opportunities and easy access to fresh food products for the local community.
The Ward Councilor, Ansumana Bayo called on the vendors to exercise patience as the council is working to provide them with even bigger projects.
Badou Faal, market president thanked Mayor Bensouda and the council for their transparency and honesty that made the project a success.
A market Council committee member, Lamin J Jammeh said former occupants who were scared they may not get back their shops when the market is completed are all happy that they have got back their shops. He said no civil servants or other non-eligible people were allocated the shops at the expense of the real traders, which shows the KMC’s transparency.
Lamin Touray, a vendor said he has been selling for about 15 years without a decent stall until now when he got one from this newly built market.
