Dakar-Plateau town hall is participating in this operation, which kicked off from the Sandaga market.
This initiative is part of the activities of the monthly Clean-up Day, also called “besup setal”, a government initiative. It was launched in the presence of Mayor Alioune Ndoye and the sub-prefect of Dakar-Plateau, Djiby Diallo.
The operation consists of “removing, using heavy means and small equipment, car wrecks and anything that clutters the public highway,” explained Mr Sow.
At the same time it is about “ridding the arteries of Dakar-Plateau of waste and bulky debris,” he added.
“It is good to launch such an operation for a period of a few days, but the most difficult part remains ensuring the necessary monitoring and sustainability,” underlined the Minister of Urban Planning, Housing and Public Hygiene.
He said he had asked the National Integrated Waste Management Company to take the necessary measures for the sustainability of the initiative, in conjunction with the Dakar-Plateau town hall and the administrative authorities of Dakar.
“The objective of this operation is not to destroy property belonging to others and located on public roads. It is also not a question of making anyone lose jobs, but of restoring the city center of Dakar-Plateau to its former glory, of making traffic flow fluid and of offering Dakar residents a good living environment,'' said Minister Abdoulaye Saydou Sow.
“Having a healthy living environment is a right guaranteed by the Constitution,” he argued.
According to Mr Sow, the ministry will lead a consultation with the leaders of Dakar's merchant associations and delegates from other sectors of activity concerned, with the aim of finding "adequate solutions" to the problems faced by the occupants of the public highway; victims of operations of this nature.
The consultation would take place within the framework of the government program “Xëyu Ndaw Ñi”, the aim of which is to find jobs for thousands of young people by having them do public utility work, he said.
“This operation will last several days. Similar initiatives are planned in other municipalities in Senegal,” assured Abdoulaye Saydou Sow, saying: “Preserving the living environment requires the involvement of everyone.”
The occupants of the public highway were informed of the decluttering and cleaning operation, according to the mayor of Dakar-Plateau, also Minister of the Environment, Sustainable Development and Ecological Transition.
It is an initiative of “general interest”, he underlined, inviting the people of Dakar to support it in order to have a good living environment.
Meanwhile, Senegalese private TV station TFM reported over the weekend demolition of illegal structures in the biggest market of Dakar, "though vendors were saying that they were not given enough notice".
Minister Sowe has in line with the exercise announced the recruitment of 500 youths for the exercise of the cleansing service.
