By Makutu Manneh
Talib Ahmed Bensouda, Mayor of the Kanifing Municipal Council (KMC), has delivered on a year-old commitment to workers’ associations operating at the Bakoteh Dumpsite, donating a total of D300,000 to support their efforts in waste management.
Each of the three key associations—the Waste Pickers Association, the Tricycle Waste Collectors Association, and the Donkey Cart Association—received D100,000. The donation forms part of the mayor’s broader initiative to empower vulnerable groups contributing to the municipality’s waste management and sanitation drive.
Speaking at the presentation ceremony, Mayor Bensouda said the funds were mobilized through voluntary contributions aimed at supporting community-based workers who play a vital role in maintaining cleanliness and public health. He commended the recipients for their dedication, particularly in minimizing fire outbreaks and ensuring order at the dumpsite.
Bensouda encouraged the workers to maintain their dedication and assured them of continued support, announcing plans to increase the donation to D150,000 per association next year. He also recognized the persistent challenges faced by residents living near the dumpsite—particularly in Manjai—and reiterated his administration’s determination to address the area’s environmental and social issues.
“But I want to tell you we are also coming up with plans, but I don’t want to promise anything, but I can tell you I am working towards it because I want, before the end of my mayorship, to have a solution to this place,” the mayor noted.
Bakoteh Dumpsite Manager Lamin Camara expressed appreciation for the gesture, noting that the mayor had previously pledged the donation if the workers successfully prevented fire incidents at the site—a promise he has now fulfilled.
“The mayor knows that people need to be encouraged in their workplaces. I want the workers to know they have this because they have done their work and are ready to work for our country,” Camara stated.
The workers, in response, thanked Mayor Bensouda and the council for the support, reaffirming their commitment to maintaining safety and efficiency at the dumpsite. They also highlighted ongoing challenges, including limited protective gear and exposure to hazardous materials, and appealed for continued assistance from the KMC.
Established in the 1980s on a former laterite quarry, the Bakoteh Dumpsite remains The Gambia’s largest waste disposal site, serving communities across the Kanifing Municipality.