By Landing Colley
Babucarr Fofanna, Regional Coordinator of National Disaster Management Agency (NDMA) has called for government support to enable the agency address disaster hotspot areas in the country.
He made this remark on Monday at one of the main hotspot disaster areas at Manjai during a tour organized by the the National Assembly Select Committee on Disaster and Humanitarian Relief. That tour to the disaster areas was meant to examine the disaster hotspot areas likewise covid-19 testing center.
Speaking during the tour to Manjai, Babucarr Fofanna said there is need for the government to come out with a decision and policy that will address the issue as NDMA alone cannot address it alone “but if we work together the issue could be addressed.”
He said a lot of places in Manjai are problematic because the town is not well planned, the stream is getting narrower due indiscriminate dumping of refuges while some compounds blocked the waterway.
He explained that float of water is becoming difficult and when it rain it always end up going into community instead of going through waterways because “he topography of the areas is very low.
He went further, most of this hotspots are all facing the same issue because not Manjai is affected but Abuko, Bundung, Serrekunda, Dibba Kunda, Latri Kunda German and Kuto up to the Ocean.
Lamin Mass Director of NDMA pointed out that the area is a very critical hotspot and NDMA is working with stakeholders especially with World Bank in terms of fund to address this problem.
He reiterated that the hotspot in Manjai is related to the ones in Abuko and Bakoteh adding that all the issues have to be addressed together by putting stone pitch around the area to avoid plucking of the area.
Meanwhile he revealed that they are working with the World Bank to start a project worth of D27million before end of the year.
Ousman Sillah NAM for Banjul North and Chairman of the committee said “this is part of their functions, to ensure that institution address issue under their control and the need for disaster management agency is to explain the nature of disaster hotspot areas and how to mitigate them.”
He added that they are doing the assessment to come up with a report as well as recommendation that will be helpful in addressing the challenges.
However, most of these hotpots around the Kanifing Municipal Council have affected people living within the areas as most of the compounds nearly collapse due to the gully erosions that happen during the rainy session.
The stream that divided most of these areas needs a good crossing point and stone pitch around the area in order to avoid the negative impact caused by the gully erosion during rainy session.
