The rainy season is just around the corner if the forecast of the Department of Water Resources is anything to go by.
There is no gainsaying that the rainy season in The Gambia is fraught with numerous issues such as floods, the prevalence ofwater-borne diseases, disruption to economic activities due to poor infrastructure and at times, population displacement.
However, the most nerve-wracking issue during the rainy season is flash flooding, which is partly attributed to indiscriminate waste disposal, especially into the waterways.
These human-induced floods could be averted if we embracea responsible attitude towards our environment.
Despite the government going at full stretch to mitigate floods through the clearing of gutters and other arteries for thesmooth passage of water, citizens and residents of The Gambia should also help its mitigation efforts by adopting responsible environmental behaviour.
The cost of flood response, needless to say, could be more expensive than the cost of flood mitigation. After all, the lives and livelihoods you save may be your own.