Gambia: Sanitation Disaster At the Heart of KM

No one should be surprised if serious diseases like cholera break out in the heart of the Kanifing Municipality during the rainy season. The Serrekunda maternity clinic is sandwiched by a squalid market called Sandika and a congested road occupied by vendors who have no access to waste disposal facilities, toilets or water supply.

During heavy downpour, water moves from the Sandika, the Serekunda clinic and the Serrekunda Market through Jobe Street with clogged drains towards Kombo Sillah Drive. Because of the poor drainage system, both streets and a number of compounds are always flooded and all the thrash float on the water, thus polluting the whole environment. Families and vendors wade through this pool of water, thus enhancing all kinds of skin infection, worm infection and exposure to all kinds of diseases that would undermine the health of the population. Flies abound the area and the smell of rotten fish pollute the whole area.

The Minister of Works, Transport and Infrastructure is called upon to examine the road construction near the Sandika area and the clogged drain that the officials of NRA identified, to find out whether this is best that the government can offer in the heart of the Municipality, close to the maternity clinic, a major market and major shopping centre where a macrocosm of the population congregate on a daily basis.

Furthermore, the Mayor of KMC is also called upon to visit the area with the market and cleansing authorities of the council to assess the poor waste disposal scheme in the area.

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