By: Fatou Kebbeh
Pa Aliue Ceesay, the Youth President of Bakau has dismissed the Youth and Sports Minister Bakary Badjie’s assertions that the mayor of Kanifing Municipal Council (KMC), Talib Ahmed Bensouda, has not brought any development in his municipality.
Mr. Ceesay was speaking in Bakau at the mayor’s ongoing municipality tour on Friday 3rd March 2023, where he added that the tour is not for political purposes, however, it cannot be completely avoided.
The Bakau youth leader noted a lot of assertions were made and it is time to clear the air.
“Bakary Badjie said the mayor has done nothing in his municipality apart from growing flowers. This is a baseless point,” he said, adding that he is not speaking to incriminate anyone but to make things clear.
“We have all seen the amazing and incredible work the mayor is doing in the Kanifing Municipality. The media is here, and nothing will be said that is not true,” he added.
Speaking further, the Bakau youth president said that the Mbalit Project’ has created employment for a lot of young people.
“The amount of young people employed for this ‘Mbalit project has never happened in the history of this country” he argued.
According to him, before the coming of Mayor Bensouda in KMC, cheques were normally signed by mayors, but this has changed during Talib’s tenure.
“All financial transactions are done by CEOs or others and not Lord Mayor,” he added.
On his part, Lamin Dibba councillor of Bakau said the work of the mayor should be talked about but notwithstanding, some important problems should also be highlighted.
“Right now, we are in need of some good roads but what we need the most is to find solutions to our gutters,” he pleaded.
He told the gathering that the gutters are very close to settlements and have been generating bad odour in the settlements.
Mr. Dibba urged the KMC mayor to help address the situation.
Bakau is quite a wide settlement, but its only hospital doesn’t have even one ambulance, said a resident of Bakau on Friday.
The Mayor of the Kanifing Municipal Council during the meeting promised to address the concerns raised by the residents.
“They said KMC has done seventy-five per cent (75%) and I want hundred per cent (100%) so this year I am buying seven (7) new trucks to end the talk on waste,” Mayor Bensouda told Bakau residents.
Among the promises made by the KMC mayor was building a community centre in Bakau. Councillor Lamin Dibba, with the Youth Empowerment Project, has invested three million dalasis.
“But the work is still not enough because there is already a baker machine, and some computers are to be repaired for the young people and this year we will budget 1.5 million dalasis to complete the project and open the community centre,” he added.
Mayor Bensouda reiterated that the community centre if completed will benefit the people of Bakau.
The mayor however talked about the recent developments of the first park being built in the council.
He further noted that the park has a football field which is done, it also has a children’s playing ground which will be completed soon, a volleyball and basketball court is about to be constructed and an outdoor gym which would be done in a few months.
“A lot has been done in the Kanifing Municipal Council (KMC) but recently, a lot of places in KMC are pleading to have good roads which is why a road project of 23 kilometres will be started soon to reduce the issue of roads in KMC,” Bensouda ended.
