By Nicholas Bass
The Chairperson of Brikama Area Council’s (BAC) Market Committee Mamadou Jawo Jallow has confirmed that over one thousand canteens in West Coast Region were destroyed by the task force of Operation Clear-the-Road (OCR).
Mr. Jallow came up with the confirmation in aninterview with this reporter.
This came after a decision made by the Barrow -led administration for a national demolition exercise to be carried out by the Gambia Police Force in collaboration with the National Road Authority along public places.
Brikama Nyambai Ward Councilor Jallow expressed dismay claiming that the task force of OCR went into Brikama market and demolished canteens which were not within the prescribed operation. He said that thousands of canteens belonging to poor petty traders in Brikama and its surroundings were demolished.
Jallow lamented that most of the traders who lose their canteens depended entirely on their small business, stressing that some of them spent part of their income to pay school fees of their children.
“Most of the petty traders in West Coast used their income to feed their families “, Jallow said.
He pointed out that the displaced traders have been deprived from earning their daily living noting that theywere struggling to make ends meet.
Jallow also said that the poor construction of the Brikama Market was due to rapid development, noting that the Physical Planning failed to give directives regarding where occupants within the public road should stop.
However, Jallow disclosed that the council was working on temporal canteens, adding that if that work was completed more than two hundred traders would benefit.
Meanwhile, he called on NGOs, individuals,philanthropist and concerned citizens to come to the aid of the council in enhancing the development of West Coast Region.