By Kemo Kanyi
Brikama Area Council (BAC) on Tuesday received health and sanitary
Materials valued 1.2million dalasi from Turkey through TIKA – The Turkish Cooperation and Coordination Agency.
The agency is a government department subordinate to Turkey’s Ministry of Culture and Tourism focusing on development cooperation. The agency is responsible for the organization of the bulk of Turkey’s official development assistance to developing countries, with a particular focus on Turkic and African countries and communities.
Şule Bayer, Tika Banjul Coordinator, said that a moment is pivotal in responding to the challenges of waste collection and management faced by the Brikama Area Council.
Turker Oba, Ambassador of Turkey to the Gambia, underscored the importance of the material support to the BAC.
“Brikama is one of the most inhabited towns in the Gambia, and headquarters of the region and also the largest local government area in the country, hence problem in the waste management directly impact health, security and development in general,” he said. “As a development partner of Gambia, we must work to address that, and I am happy to see that TIKA is able to identify the needs of the local population. We sincerely hope that this initiative will improve the environmental circumstances of the region and support the population,” he added.
Yankuba Darboe, Chairman of the BrikamaArea Council, expressed joy of receiving such material support from Turkey as the development partner of the Gambia.
“In addition to the materials received today, Tika has also supported BAC in fencing of a 7 hectare women’s garden in Kuloro village and also provided 57 tap-heads in that garden at a tune of D1.8M this year.”
“The material donation today 3 tricycles, 10 wheelbarrows, 150 helmets, 150 safety boots, 150 overalls, 50 spades, and 100 rakes,” Chairman Darboe revealed.
He further highlighted the significant support the donations will help in addressing the challenges the council faced in waste collection, management, laborer safety, and other necessities.
He assured that the council would put these materials into good use.
