By: Nyima Sillah
Residents of Kuntaur town have registered their dismay on the National Disaster Management Agency (NDMA) over D50 million projects that seek to build 3 bridges of 3.2km flood protection Dyke, 23 self-contained, 2-bedroom lounge, kitchen, toilets and balcony.
It could be recalled that on 26th of August, 2017 the people of Kuntaur encountered one of the most severe floods in which 85 households were affected. The NDMA solicited $1 million for the project in which 23 victims were the most affected and identified as beneficiaries.
Speaking to The Voice, Sheikh Omar Cham, said he asked the people responsible for the project that “they are not consider after his return from Kombo, but they responded that our people are living abroad so we don’t have the rights to be part of the project.”
“I felt very bad because I am a citizen of this country and every year whenever float happens our compound suffers the worst. We always face series of challenges and all our properties got spoiled. The disaster team came and examine the place and we gave them details but the time the project came we were sidelined which really saddens me,” he said.
He continued: “I am not satisfied with former VDC because if such projects exist, they should come out to the public and update us. Thirty compounds are on the way coming but as of now the 23-house built, we have no benefit. I believe the thirty compounds will be transparent.”
The current VDC vice chairman said the previous VDC chairman did the election of the beneficiaries in secret, adding, the only few people were selected while so many people with serious flood problems were left out.
