“Banjulians-Joining Hands, in Development project”, an environmental development community-based project, was launched last Thursday at the Banjul City Council to ensure proper cleaning of the city.

As a matter of urgency, geared towards national development, Banjul City Council disbursed over D300,000 (three hundred thousand Dalasi) to the three constituencies and nine wards in Banjul, to boost -up the project. Each of the nine wards were given D30,000, while the three constituencies were given D10,000 Dalasi each.

In her launch statement, Mam Sai Njie-Sanneh, Mayoress of Banjul gave a brief history of the project.

She revealed that the project was initiated by the Councillors and their committees who decided that the environmental sanitation project (set-settal) should be given to the community, instead of the Council.

She encouraged Banjulians to take ownership of what belongs to them, noting that this is about environmental development and not politics.

Hon Alhagie Sillah, National Assembly member for Banjul North, described the project as timely, and thanked the BCC for the initiative.

Deputising for the Secretary of State for Local Government and Lands, Kemo Conteh, Director of Lands and Survey at the Department of State for Local Government and Lands, described this initiative as a response to President Jammeh’s clarion call to Operation Clean the Nation, locally known as “set-settal.”

He said “a clean nation is a healthy nation and a healthy nation is a productive nation and productivity leads to socio-economic development”.

He assured BCC and the entire community of Banjul of his department’s support at all times.

Other speakers included Dr Patrick Chang, Taiwanese Ambassador to The Gambia, Alhagie OB Conateh and Alhagie Mbaye Jaw, one of the elders of Banjul, who all applauded the initiative and encouraged Banjulians to keep up the momentum.

Mustapha Batchilly, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Banjul City Council chaired the ceremony.