The Western Region Disaster Management Committee, on Wednesday, distributed some bags of rice, corrugated iron sheets, second hand clothing as well as bags of cements to forty-five families, who were said to be victims of this year’s rain disaster.

The presentation was held at the office of the western Region Governor in Brikama.

Speaking at the ceremony, Sereign Modou Joof, secretary general of the western Region disaster management committee described the benevolent gesture as a respond to some applications forwarded to his committee by over three hundred families who were affected by the natural disaster.

He said the committee intended to respond to all the requests but that was not possible due to circumstances beyond their control. Therefore, he went on, forty-five families were identified to benefit from the donation. He added that the selection of the beneficiaries was taken based on the nature and severity of the disaster on them.

Sunkari Badjie, chairman of Brikama Area Council said in as much as his office is concerned, their first priority is the satisfaction of the taxpayers. Chairman Badjie, then presented a cheque for twenty-five thousand dalais to the disaster committee as part of his council’s effort to assist the disaster victims. He further urged families to avoid settling on waterway areas, which he said can easily cause floods and other forms of disasters.

According to Chairman Badjie, the council is dependent on the taxes that the people pay and it is that same taxes that they plough back to the people when the need arise.

For his part, the regional governor Lamin Sanneh, reaffirmed the Gambia government’s commitment to disaster management in the country, citing the recently passed Disaster Management Bill to the National Assembly.

Governor Sanneh thanked the donors including Salifu K Jaiteh, who donated the second hand clothing. He also urged other victims to exercise patience as the committee wished to respond to their requests when they acquire many more donations.

Lamin J Gassama, vice chairperson of the Western Region youth committee chaired the ceremony.