By: Sandally Sawo
Access was regained on the Albert Market-Banjul Beach Road last week after it was cut from human and vehicular traffic for almost three months.
The National Disaster Management Agency (NDMA) and Banjul City Council (BCC) are involved in a massive cleansing exercise in Banjul as part of the flood mitigative measures and the drive to promote public health through clean and livable environments.
Tons of household, clinical, and business-generated wastes were last week transported from Banjul to the landfill on the city’s outskirts.
NDMA and BCC deployed heavy machinery and manpower to rid the city of rubbish, some of which piled up to four meters.
After almost a week of city-wide cleansing exercise, most of Banjul’s waste-troubled areas were dealt with.
Machinery and men will today return to Albert Market, where waste piled up to four meters and then strewed on the road, blocking the access to the beach.
Both NDMA and BCC officials have expressed the hope that work on the dumpsite behind the Albert Market will finish today.
Meanwhile, the sheer amount of waste that was removed from Banjul has exposed the BCC’s incapacity to effectively deal with waste in the capital city.
However, according to the Executive Director of NDMA, Mr. Sanna Dahaba, waste management requires synergy.
“As far as I am concerned as the executive director of NDMA, waste management is a collective responsibility. Councils alone would not be able to manage waste. The government alone would not be able to manage waste. So, it is important for the private sector, councils, and government to come together so that we can manage the waste in a more sustainable manner,” Mr. Dahaba told The Voice shortly after a visit to the area on Saturday morning. He added: “This is very important. The councils need to work with the government and the government needs to work with the councils if we want to address the issue of waste in a more sustainable manner.”
The NDMA boss underscored the need for the heightening of public awareness of the need for environmental friendliness.
“Irrespective of whom you are and where you are, the only city we have is Banjul. So, it’s important that we mobilize the community, resources, and all interventions so that we can have responsible behavior and attitude towards the environment. The cleansing of Banjul is in the interest of everybody because it’s the only city we have,” Mr. Dahaba noted.
He thanked the BCC and the mayor “for working with the NDMA through the supervision of the Office of the Vice President so that we can address the issue of waste as a matter of urgency.”