The Kanifing Municipal Council has approved a reduction of the council’s property rating code from 0.3 to 0.1 to enable property owners pay their dues to the council without delay, since it usually results in huge arrears, a statement from the council has said.
In a statement made available to this paper yesterday, the council said the concession was given by the General Council at its session held on 12th August owing to persistent concerns by property owners that the 0.3 coding used by the council to levy charges on their properties is too high for them to pay without constraints.
The Kanifing Municipal Council also announced that a reduction in canteen fees has been effected at the newly-constructed markets in Abuko and Old Jeshwang from D500 to D300 per month.
“The council is cognizant of its responsibility to contribute towards poverty reduction to enhance the government’s overall attainment of the MDG component targeting poverty reduction,” the statement said.
It added that the majority of these canteen owners are women who are struggling to provide for their families, and it is only human and, therefore, reasonable that the council reduces the burden on them.
In a similar development, the statement went on, the KMC has also made arrangements with the Arab Gambian Islamic Bank for the payment of D1.3 million to NAWEC for the supply of 210 cash power meters for canteens at the Serrekunda, Abuko and Old Jeshwang markets.
“In ongoing and fiscal management reforms, the council has committed a total of up to D7 million towards its outstanding liabilities with NAWEC, and the council is grateful for NAWEC’s co-operation and spirit of partnership in this respect,” the statement further said.
