#Headlines

BAC presents cheques to Brufut & Nema worth over D1.5M

Mar 22, 2022, 12:10 PM | Article By: Abdoulie Nyockeh

Brikama Area Council (BAC) in the West Coast Region (WCR) last Friday presented two cheques amounting to One Million Nine hundred and fifty thousand dalasis (1,950,000.00) to the community of Brufut and Brikama Nema. Officials said the money is meant for the rebuilding of Brufut Central Market and solar street light for Brikama Nema Kabilo.

The presentation which was held at the council’s ground also witnessed the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between BAC and the Community Action Support Association (Casa-Gambia) which doubled as the implementing agency for the rebuilding of Brufut Central Market.

Speaking at the ceremony, Modou Jonga, chief executive officer of the council, said: “The management of the council is excited to present the cheques to the two beneficiary communities towards the implementation of two important demand driven projects in Brikama Nema Kabilo respectively,” he said, while claiming that the community of Brufut would have a ‘State of the Art Market’ upon completion of the project.

CEO Jonga further added that the construction of ‘standard market’ in Brufut which is among the fastest growing communities in the region is indeed timely and important in different aspects.

According to him, D450,000 cheque that was presented to Brikama Nema Kabilo is part of the council’s final counterpart contribution to the street light component of the Nema Revitalisation project.

“Our first counterpart contribution was in the second quarter of 2021 which was an amount of D450, 000.00. In total the BAC has contributed a sum of D900, 000 for the provision of120 solar lights out of the 200 solar street lights.”

CEO Jonga added: “It is our expectation that our intervention will alleviate the standard of living in the community by increasing the level of public safety and security through the street light component of the project.”

“I also sincerely express delight to be associated with the implementing Agency and also  commend the Community Action support Association [CASA-Gambia] for engaging and mobilising stakeholders both in county and outside for the reconstruction of the Brufut Central Market.”

He thanked diasporans of Brikama Nema and the Nema Kabilo Development Association for their foresight in coming up with such a magnificent vision with a view to transforming Brikama Nema into a ‘model neighbourhood with a superior urban design that meets the needs of all residents by 2025’.

Sulayman Kinteh, the ward councillor of Brufut underscored the significance of the project to the beneficiary community, claiming that it would go a long way towards addressing some of the challenges his people encounter especially the women vendors at the market.

Brufut Central Market, he added, was built during the colonial period. However, with the intervention of CASA- Gambia, the market will be a ‘model market’. “Besides, the market will be constructed near the garage and it will have shops and canteens.

Casa-Gambia, Councillor Kinteh further added, is an association who are giving tremendous support to the people of Brufut.

He recalled that the association sometime back tiled some classrooms at the Brufut lower basic school, and also built 10 classrooms with the collaboration of MRC Holland.