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Banjulians blamed for poor sewage condition

Dec 18, 2009, 9:08 PM | Article By: Alieu Jabang & Sainey MK Marenah

The deplorable state of gutters and tarmac in the streets of Banjul, especially around Half Die and Tobacco Road has been blamed on inappropriate use of facilities by residents in the city of Banjul.

This, according to Marie Saine Firdaus, the Attorney-General and Minister of Justice, who was responding to a parliamentary question on Wednesday, said "the reason for the blockage in the system is not due to any technical inadequacy of the system, but the inappropriate use of the system by the populace of Banjul and the unpaved roads."

As she put it, the system is designed to transport only sewage flows but solids of all shapes and types are put into it.

"The unpaved roads along Tobacco Road introduce soil into the pipe network which inevitably blocks the flows of the sewage and consequently leads to spillage," she said.

But she expressed disappointment in the way and manner in which the city dwellers use the sewage system, despite vigorous campaigns in both radio and TV to put a stop to it.

"The impacts despite all these have been very poor," she stated.

However, she told members that NAWEC has already secured a combined suction and jetting machine that would help improve the operational efficiency of the maintenance team. With this equipment, she added, the number of spillages is expected to significantly drop.