Barrow initiates taskforce in rebuilding Banjul

The Banjul City Council yesterday launched a taskforce, under the directive of President Adama Barrow, to look into the ways and means of addressing the infrastructure issues affecting the City of Banjul.

The launch was held at the Banjul City Council head office.

Speaking at the launch, Mustapha Batchilly spoke on behalf of the Lord Mayor of Banjul and said they are the ones responsible for the development of the city. 

He added that they should make it their own mandate to see to it that Banjul looks like a capital city.

He added that Banjul is not looking admirable at all and you feel shy to tell people that you are from Banjul or say to a foreigner that Banjul is the Capital City.

He blamed this on the way the infrastructure is and all the other issues within the city limits.

Mr Batchilly stated that rebuilding Banjul should be a collective responsibility because the City of Banjul is for both Banjulians and Gambians as a whole. He said that ways must be found to look into ways of transforming Banjul into a modern city just like any other capital cities around the world.

Mahtarr Njai, the Director of Administration Banjul City Council, said that the City Council is more than happy to associate with the taskforce and to be the focal point. He further added that they want NAWEC to be inclusive and to attend all meetings of the City Council.

The Public Relations Officer of BCC, Sandigie Njie, said the intervention of the executive is highly appreciated and timely and that the initiative has brought a lot of hope in taking the City to the next level.

PRO Njie added that Banjul has a population of 31,000 and development without planning implies planning to fail or failing to plan.

He stated that concerted efforts to rejuvenate the city are the instrument of registering successes. Those included on the taskforce are NAWEC, GRA and Finance Ministry and work is expected to start soon.

Dawda Darboe, for Ministry of Lands and Regional Integration, said rebuilding Banjul is not going to be an easy task.

He said they need to look into the critical conditions of the city Banjul and serious individuals should be included in the taskforce.

He said work will start at square one if the jobs are given to the wrong people.