It is currently a desperate state for many especially in the capital city Banjul, around Tobacco Road.
Water has been stagnant in the area for days with inhabitants of the area finding it difficult to go about their normal businesses. This predicament has not only rendered many families homeless, but also destroyed a significant amount of foodstuffs and other valuable items. Some families are currently even being housed at schools. These floods also pose threats to our public health especially at a time when the water is still stagnant in the area.
Mr. President, the 40 million U.S. dollar Banjul Road Rehabilitation Project could have addressed the issues of the drainage system in the country’s capital city. There can’t be proper road rehabilitation or even road construction if the drainage system is not put at the center stage of that particular project.
Proper drainage system is among key ways to prevent flood and stagnant water within our areas. With a proper drainage system in place, the water could move easily.
Mr. President no one needs to remind you that millions of dollars have been injected into that project. Therefore, a project of such nature should have addressed all these issues. The engineers of the project should have known better and planned better. Until and unless these drainage issues in Banjul and other parts of the country are addressed, we will experience more floods in the country. Therefore the central government should work closely with the local councils in ensuring that those that are affected as a result of these flash floods are assisted.
Mr. President, another department that needs to up their game is the Physical Planning Department. It’s quite disheartening to see how some structures are being built in the country. In fact, some structures are built on the highway while others are built on water routes. With this, how would the water move easily when there is a heavy downpour of rain? Therefore, their negligence is significantly contributing to floods in the country. The impacts of climate change are also another contributing factor causing massive flash floods in the country. Therefore, shift actions are needed with a view to improving the poor drainage system in the county as vulnerable communities continue to be affected. We should also try to mitigate the impact of climate change in the country. The recent flash floods have left many houses destroyed and many families displayed. Now is the time to act to avoid disaster in the country.
Mr. President, your government must use this year's flooding as a sign to find the best routes for water drainage and storage in order to avoid a similar situation in the future.
International partners, NGOs, individuals and Philanthropists should also complement the government's effort in supporting the affected people as a result of the flash floods. We therefore commend Salifu K. Jaiteh, for leading by example in supporting flood victims. We hope that other philanthropists in the country will emulate his humanitarian gesture. The business tycoon recently donated second hand clothing worth half a million dalasis to affected victims. This is what we need at these trying times especially for the victims.
Finally Mr. President, we hope that the 46 million U.S. dollars project that you claimed to be launching in the country will properly address the issue of the drainage system in the country. That project should be given to a company that has the expertise and the technical knowhow. The successful implementation of projects in this country is always a problem. We hope that this project that you will be launching will be a different one.
Good Day!