By Yunus S Saliu
In his quest to make Barra community worth living at night, Abdoulie Jagne recently sponsored provision and installation of some solar street lights installed in some strategic junctions in the community to discourage and expose the hideout of the hoodlums operating in the area at night.
The installation of the solar street lights was personally sponsored by Abdoulie Jagne, a native of Barra based in Oslo, Norway. In his last holiday in The Gambia, he was approached by friends who advised him to illuminate the community to prevent it and residents from hoodlums tormenting them in the area at night.
Mr Jagne expressed his concern about the darkness of some of the areas at night which he said prompted him to sponsor the solar lights project in the community.
He disclosed that some of the criminal activities happening in the community at night include attacking of people and stealing.
He expressed satisfaction over the installation saying “it will make Barra a safer community for residents and visitors especially those that always cross at night to and from Banjul and Barra for their regular activities.”
Secondly, he said, it will enable people to sit outside at night to enjoy the cool breezes especially at night when the weather is hot.
Commenting on this gesture, Abdoulie Jobe, a native of Barra commended Mr Jagne for solely sponsored the provision and installation of the solar street lights.
He explained that some of the areas are always dark at night while hoodlums used to take the advantage of the darkness to attack people in streets and when they are chase before apprehend them they will run into the dark areas “which no one have the gut to go further after them.”
According to him before the installation, it was difficult for residents to stay outside at night and even petty traders cannot sell because of harassment and attack from some of these criminals who are mostly armed with knives, scissors, among other dangerous weapons.
He added that some of the criminals sometimes do cross to Barra community at night from other places with the last ferry to operate while they will use the dark areas for their hideout and those places are not walk-able at night for the fear of attack.
Attesting to this, Abba Hydara, said the solar street lights are very helpful and now people can stay late at night in some of the areas compared to the period of the darkness.
Like other residents in the area, he said, there are government street lights but for almost seven years they are not switching on or probably not working.
“Since the installation, attack and harassment from some of the youths and hoodlums that normally cross to the community from other places at night to operate is now declining. We thank the sponsor of the project and pray for him from in-depth of our hearts that Allah continues to bless him,” Hydara said.
He added that this is not his first gesture to the country as he has done many in the past, he therefore encouraged others to as well emulate him to make the community bright and free of encumbrances.
