The Lord Mayor of Banjul, Abdoulie Bah, has said the health of the inhabitants of Banjul is a key priority for the Banjul City Council.
Mayor Bah was speaking yesterday during a presentation of dozens of dustbins donated to the Gambia Police Force (GPF) by the BCC, at a ceremony held at the council’s premises.
He said the BCC was pleased to be associated with the Gambia Police Force (GPF), adding that BCC had long since been in partnership with the GPF.
According to Mayor Bah, BCC had been contributing to national development and was still forging ahead on that trend.
The presentation of the dustbins to the GPF was a clear manifestation of the commitment of the BCC in ensuring that the inhabitants of Banjul live in a healthy environment, he said.
Mayor Bah further stated that a lot of dustbins had been collected and distributed to schools, mosques and churches in the capital city.
This particular donation event was meant for the police force in their drive to ensure a healthy and sound environment at the Police Lines (barracks in Banjul), which has just been rehabilitated by the Gambia government.
BCC Mayor Bah added that, as a council, they have a role to play in contributing to national development, and their contribution is to ensure the environment is clean.
This was why when the GPF requested for dustbins, the council did not consider the cost involved, because “the health of the inhabitants of Banjul is the priority of BCC”, he continued.
“We believe that the people living at the station will take care of this items and BCC will assist them on the waste collection at any time,” he added.
The mayor of Banjul thanked the Inspector General of Police through the commissioner of police present for their hard work toward national development.
“We the inhabitants of Banjul are proud to associate ourselves with the security forces,” he went on, and praised them for “ensuring the lives and property of the Gambians are well protected.”
In receiving the items, Commissioner Demba Sowe of the GPF, representing the Inspector General of Police, thanked the mayor and BCC for responding to their request for the dustbins.
He said having dustbins would help to ensure a clean environment, adding that receiving them was a step in the right direction.
Commissioner Sowe assured the BCC mayor that about 80 per cent of police officers working in Banjul are housed at the Police Lines, and giving them the dustbins would help them to maintain a clean environment.
For people to be healthy, they need a conducive environment and this contribution would greatly help in sanitizing the Police Lines, Sowe added.
He praised the lord mayor for being supportive of community policing, and on behalf of the Inspector General Police, assured the mayor that the donated materials would be put to good use.
In giving her vote of thanks, Commissioner Lala Camara thanked the mayor for the gesture, and for ensuring his office “doors are always open”.
On behalf of the IGP and senior management of the police force, she expressed hopes for a continuing relationship to ensure Banjul becomes one of the cleanness cities.