The
regional governor of West Coast Region Alhagie Lamin Sanneh last Monday
presided over the opening of a three-day capacity building seminar on drainage,
sanitation and waste management.
The forum, organised by the West Coast Regional Disaster Management Agency, was meant for the communities of Nyambai ward and Jambarr Sanneh in Brikama.
In his welcome remarks at the Gambia Red Cross branch office in Brikama, the acting-regional disaster management agency in West Coast Region, Ngange Jeng, hailed the participants for responding to their call.
He said the occasion had shown that the people of these two places were very much committed to addressing issues affecting them.
Mr Jeng further stated that Jambarr Sanneh is one of the areas identified by the disaster agency in the region as a disaster prone settlement.
In his official opening statement, Governor Sanneh said that in 2010 a heavy rainfall caused serious damage to communities in the region and as a result the government declared a state of emergency in certain areas which Brikama was part of.
Based on that situation, he noted, the Gambia government and the European Union had an agreement to, among other things, fund the construction of seven areas in the country that are prone to disasters.
Governor Sanneh further noted that the Brikama Area Council and the health officials are all working to ensure a better environment in the region.
He also seized the opportunity to advise the participants to share their ideas and experience and carved out solutions to their concerns within their wards.
He further advised the participants to utilize the knowledge gained during the three days, saying the meeting was vital for them.
The councillor of Jambarr Sanneh, Pa Amadou Manneh, thanked the Government of The Gambia and the European Union for funding such an initiative that will help the communities to mitigate the effects of disaster.