By Mustapha Jarju & Akitania Nzally
Over fifty (50) households with more than two hundred displaced people from Banjul North currently residing in St Joseph Senior Secondary School as a result of last weekend’s torrential rainfall have expressed their dissatisfaction with the Gambia government for not giving them any humanitarian support since their compounds were flooded and submerged.
In an exclusive interview with these victims, most of them revealed that they only received help from the Gambia Red Cross Society, Banjul City Council, and some other philanthropists together with the Councilor and the National Assembly Member for Banjul North.
Meanwhile, The Voice can confirm the presence of the Red Cross Volunteers giving support to the affected flood victims at St Joseph School, together with the NAM for Banjul North who is always around to support and make them comfortable
Most of the affected areas in Banjul North that were visited by these reporters are still flooded while all remain unhygienic situation as caused by the floods
Isatou Nyang from Tesito Road, Banjul recollected how the torrential rain started narrating, “the incident started at 4:00 am while we were sleeping, it is one of our neighbors who woke up and realized that his house was flooded and alerted everyone. We were brought to ST. Joseph’s School by the Red Cross on Sunday, we lost all our belongings to the flood. Some relocated to the Kombos while others stay in the school here.”
Madam Nyang called on the Gambian Government and all the stakeholders to come to their aid as the situation is out of hand. She disclosed that the president, on Monday, passed by the school where they are residing currently without reaching them to know what exactly they are facing as victims of the Sunday Flood in Banjul. This she said they are disappointed. “We do not need rice or cooking oil from the government what we need is to get back to our homes or they provide a proper house for us”.
Sarjo Konteh from Banjul North who is also housing in the St Joseph Senior in Banjul said, they have been witnessing floods in the past but this recent flood is the worst. She explained that the water from the sea waves mixed with the floods as the residential area is not far from the sea “this makes us most affected by the floods.”
She went on that their compounds which are still flooded are dangerous at the moment because “a few days ago, I went to my compound to collect my cloth but I cannot enter I found a big snake inside the compound which makes it not safe for us because reptiles like crocodiles, snakes, and Lizards which are dangerous are one of the reasons I cannot go back the house until the floods dry off,”
Sarjo expressed her dismay with the president but thanked the Councilor of Banjul North and the National Assembly Member together with the Mayoress of Banjul Rohey Malick Lowe through his office intervention.
Binta Jawara a Red Cross volunteer said they brought the victims to the school to provide them temporary shelter until things are resolved. According to her, the people are well provided for and the security is very tight, the PIU officers are guiding the area at night.
Honorable Modou Lamin Bah National Assembly Member for Banjul North met on the ground giving humanitarian support to the victims at St Joseph Senior School said, they have been supporting the flood victim in his constituency since Sunday with food items while the Gambia Red Cross Society provide them with Mattresses and Mosquito Nets.
We have been working with relevant stakeholders to come out with means to solve the flood issue.
Honorable Bah, therefore, urged the government to come forward and see how best they can put a plan and relocate these affected families.
He said it is the responsibility of the government to see that people live comfortably and he recommended to the government relocates them as soon as possible.
Bah continued that, they receive an amount of D30,000 from the Banjul City Council to cater for the feeding of more than 200 affected people and there are some individuals and groups that are giving them support, too, which include Salifu K Jaiteh who gave them 10 bales of second-hand clothes for the flood victims at St Joseph School.