By Makutu Manneh
Information, Media, and Broadcasting Services Minister Dr. Ismaila Ceesay has called for the impeachment of mayors and chairpersons across The Gambia, accusing local councils of failing in what he described as their most fundamental responsibility—keeping municipalities and regions clean.
Speaking during an interview on Star FM, Dr. Ceesay argued that sanitation is the primary mandate of local councils and the main reason Gambians elect councilors, chairpersons, and mayors.
He expressed concern over the state of sanitation in Banjul, the Kanifing Municipality (KMC), and the West Coast Region, saying the councils have fallen short in delivering basic public services.
“The least a council can do is to ensure its area is clean, and failure to do so means the leadership is not fit for purpose. You should be impeached because you are not building hospitals, not paying police, soldiers, teachers, you don’t build roads, you don’t do anything,” Dr. Ceesay said.
The minister said the condition of Banjul raises questions about its status as the nation’s capital, criticizing the Banjul City Council (BCC) over what he described as poor sanitation standards.
Asked whether he believed the Mayor of Banjul should be impeached, Dr. Ceesay replied: “All of them because they have all failed.”
He also directed criticism at the Kanifing Municipal Council, describing the municipality as being in an even worse sanitary condition. Dr. Ceesay alleged that KMC Mayor Talib Ahmed Bensouda had failed to fulfill his commitments to residents, saying the mayor should apologize for what he characterized as broken promises.
According to the minister, Bensouda had pledged to make Kanifing the cleanest municipality in Africa, but he argued that sanitation has deteriorated during his tenure.
Turning to the West Coast Region, Dr. Ceesay said poor waste management in local markets has become so severe that roads are being obscured by refuse. He disclosed that President Adama Barrow has decided the central government will take a more direct role in addressing the country’s sanitation challenges rather than relying solely on local councils.
“President Barrow says this is enough; now we are taking the bull by the horns. We are bringing in ways to see that we build systems to clean the country. We will not follow them because if we do, it is Gambians who will suffer,” he said.
Dr. Ceesay further asserted that, despite eight years in office, local councils have failed to maintain even a single street to an acceptable standard of cleanliness.
While placing primary responsibility on local authorities, the minister also urged Gambians to play their part by adopting better waste disposal practices. He said improving sanitation requires both responsible leadership from councils and a collective commitment from citizens to stop indiscriminate littering.
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