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toubab1020
12309 Posts |
 Posted - 15 Sep 2010 : 15:47:31
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This is a report about H.E..'s observations in respect of the floods in KMC I must say that the content is very rational well reasoned and sensible,future plans are also achievable if money is available from donors,such projects are beyond the resources of the Gambian government,have a read ,see what you think and bother to post,ita about politics anyway 
(just imagine a brother wrote this posting instead of.......... )
http://observer.gm/africa/gambia/article/president-jammeh-says-most-of-the-damages-are-man-made-as-he-visits-disaster-hit-areas
President Jammeh says most of the damages are man-made As he visits disaster-hit areas
Wednesday, September 15, 2010
The Gambian leader, His Excellency Sheikh Professor Alhaji Dr Yahya Jammeh has observed that most of the damages that happened this rainy season are "man-made" in view of the fact that people have encroached upon waterways, thus making such places vulnerable to disaster.
President Jammeh was speaking Tuesday evening during an interview with reporters at a disaster-hit area in Talinding at the end of his surprise visit to disaster affected areas in the Western Region and the Kanifing Municipality. The president's visit, described as a great morale booster and a show of affection and concern for the flood-ravaged communities, came hard on the heels of his recent donation of D10 million to the over 17,000 disaster victims countrywide.
He said: "When you look at the layout, you realise that most of the damage is man-made -and a result of the reaction. You don't block a natural waterway; if you block a waterway, the water will find its way either by force or through other means. People have encroached upon the waterways to a point where it is practically not possible to solve it without demolishing houses. So, a lot of this could have been avoided if people were also reasonable enough to stick to what they have been allocated. If there is a waterway, respect the distance."
The Gambian leader, while noting that it is devastating and sad to see families living in such a condition, announced his government's resolve to fix the problem. "It's very sad but we will solve it by the grace of the Almighty Allah because once we know the problem we would be able to find a solution to it," he assured. Solving the problem, according to him, will need a lot of investment to take care of things. But he was quick to state that his government will want to make sure that most of the main waterway areas are fixed, something he said is the way out since diminishing rains are not expected.
"So really, we have to spend some money because otherwise if these roads are not fixed, every year God forbid we will have something worse than this. So we would do our best to fix some of the roads. The area councils will not also be left alone; the government will try to fix the long ones [two kilometers and above] and less than a kilometer, the area councils and municipalities will have to fix them because government will not be able to fix all the problems but at least we have to do something about it," he reiterated.
Sewage system for KMC
Considering the complexity of the Kanifing Municipal Council (KMC) which also has the highest population density, President Jammeh also announced that it is part of his government's plans to put a sewage system with a treatment plant in the municipality as a means of solving the problems. "Not long ago I spoke in cabinet that if we don't do something about the KMC, even the sewage system we are going to have problem 20 years from now because the compensation bill will be too high -people are just building and expanding. So we are working also on sewage system for KMC because it?s a city and it?s part of the city state. We really have to make sure that there is a proper sewage system," he stated.
To this end, the president disclosed that by next year [2011], they [government] will invite people to do a proper feasibility study so that they can have a sewage treatment plant in the municipality. He explains: "Here if you want to do like the one in Banjul, it?s going to be a big problem. So we want to have a sewage system where the water is recycled because if you want to make it a pipe up to the Atlantic Ocean, I don?t think that will be cost effective. I think it is better to put a sewage treatment plant where the water can be recycled,"
Attitudinal change
The Gambian leader, however, stressed the need for attitudinal change, observing that people have not only settled on waterways, but are involved in indiscriminate dumping of garbage on the streets, thinking that the running water will carry it along. He stressed that the garbage gathered from their households should be instead kept in a place where it can be collected. He observed that this also causes water blockage, while warning against such acts.
Hardest hit areas
The Jambarr Sanneh community of Brikama was among the hardest hit areas visited by President Jammeh and other officials. There, it was observed that most of the households have been entirely inundated with water, leaving residents in a big dilemma. Some of them told the Daily Observer that they are forced to sleep outside their houses since the disaster occurred.
?Since the ?Night of Power?, I have been sleeping outside my room because the rains caused water to flood my rooms,? an elderly woman told the Daily Observer during the visit by the president. The president also visited Jawo Kunda in Farato, where a severe windstorm destroyed houses and a fence. Other areas visited included a bridge that connects Sukuta Nema and Bundung Borehole in the Western Region and Kanifing Municipality respectively, where the free flow of water is being hampered by the blockage caused by the sand, as well as the improper planning of some settlements around the water passage bridge.
Author: by Hatab Fadera
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"Simple is good" & I strongly dislike politics. You cannot defend the indefensible.
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