By Seedy Jobe
The Chairman of the Brikama Area Council (BAC), Yankuba Darboe, has said that the success of waste management in The Gambia depends on community participation and cannot be left to government institutions and private companies alone.
Mr. Darboe made the remarks at the official launch of the integrated waste management project, a solid waste management plant, at the Brikama Tambana dumpsite.
He described the launch as a historic milestone, not only for the Brikama Area Council but for the country as a whole, marking the start of a new chapter in efforts to build a cleaner, healthier, and more environmentally sustainable nation.
Mr. Darboe noted that the Tambana dumpsite falls within the council’s jurisdiction and that waste management has for many years been among the most pressing challenges facing its rapidly growing communities. He attributed this to population growth, urban expansion, and changing consumption patterns, which have increased waste volumes and strained existing systems.
According to the chairman, the project comes at a critical time as a strategic investment in environmental protection, public health, and sustainable development. He added that it will also strengthen the capacity of local government authorities to fulfill their statutory mandate on environmental sanitation.
He said the council is proud of the active role it played in the consultative and preparatory stages and remains fully committed to supporting the project’s implementation and long-term sustainability.
However, Mr. Darboe cautioned that infrastructure, technology, and investment alone cannot guarantee success, stressing that every household, business, institution, and citizen has a part to play.
He urged residents of the West Coast Region and beyond to dispose of waste responsibly, avoid indiscriminate dumping, support waste segregation, and take part in community clean-up campaigns. Protecting the environment, he said, begins with individual actions that collectively bring lasting change.
The chairman added that community ownership of sanitation offers benefits beyond clean surroundings, including fewer disease outbreaks, better public health, the protection of natural resources, and safer communities for future generations.
He also highlighted the project’s potential to create jobs and support resource recovery, recycling, and innovation, offering a pathway to turn waste from an environmental challenge into an economic resource for local and national development.
Mr. Darboe thanked the Government of The Gambia, the National Environment Agency, and Ghana’s Jospong Group of Companies for their partnership and commitment to the project. Their collaboration, he said, shows what can be achieved when government, local authorities, and the private sector work together.
As the host local authority, he pledged the council’s continued cooperation, promising to engage communities, strengthen public awareness, and work with stakeholders to safeguard the project.
He concluded that the launch should be seen not merely as the unveiling of a project, but as the beginning of a shared commitment to environmental stewardship, improved public health and sustainable development.
Comments are closed.