The project, council officials say is aimed at promoting sports and youth empowerment within the municipality. The parks will encompass football pitches, basketball court and children’s playing grounds among others.
Mayor Bensouda, who was speaking over the weekend during a dialogue forum with the Kanifing Municipality youths, spoke at length on the significance of the project to inhabitants of the municipality especially the young people who would be direct beneficiaries, saying “youth are the drivers of development in any nation. They are the people who we are relying on to make The Gambia a vibrant country and a country where one can improve their lives with their families.”
He maintained that for the youth to attain their objectives in the country, “there is a greater need for authorities to engage them to ensure they progress.”
The KMC, he added, in partnership with the Kanifing Municipal Youth Council (KYMC) drafted policies that would help to advance the youthful population, while further claiming “his council in partnership with commercial institutions including Africell is currently constructing some parks.”
“This project is mainly sponsored by Africell but initiated by KMC and it will be ready for use in the next two months,” he disclosed.
According to Bensouda, the construction of Q-park within the municipality would begin in November, adding that the park would have outdoor track, GYM and also a football pitch.
The UN Park in Kotu, the KMC Mayor stated, is also under construction, announcing that the park would be open on 24 October – a day that coincides with the 76th Anniversary of the United Nations.
“KMC has implemented lots of project for KM youth over the past years and those projects were designed on the interest of the council’s youth office,” he said, adding “the youth dialogue forum will avail them the opportunity to directly talk to the young people within the municipality on some of issues affecting them and the way forward.”
Kemo Bojang, a youth councillor of KM, said: “My office vision is to open the doors for the youth of the municipality in ensuring they have the spaces where they can explore and show their potential. We are struggling financially more than any other municipality right now but, still we will make sure we use the little assets we have to impact the lives of the people.”
Isatou Secka, the chairperson of the KYMC, said: “The main purpose of the dialogue is to bring young people within the KM with a view to discussing issues affecting them and also on how to spend the youth budget in 2023 and the programmes the youth want.”
