By: Alieu Ceesay
The Kanifing Municipal Council (KMC), led by His Worship Talib Ahmed Bensouda, has announced the enforcement of its Anti-Littering Law, which will take effect on January 27, 2025. The law mandates a D1,000 fine for anyone found littering as part of the council’s efforts to sanitize the municipality.
The Anti-Littering Law assented to by Mayor Bensouda in 2020, aims to address the municipality’s growing waste management challenges. However, its implementation has been fraught with challenges, as open dumpsites across the region continue to emit unpleasant odors that impact residents’ health and quality of life.
Sections 4, 7, 8, and 9 of the by-law empower the municipality to exercise its authority under Section 53 of the Local Government Act. These provisions deal with nuisances, the removal of sand and gravel, the management of private sewage systems, and the disposal of hazardous substances to ensure better hygiene for local residents.
“This operation, we hope, will change behaviors. Our intention is not to punish anybody; our intention is to bring order and sanity because 99% of residents in our municipality are suffering from this nuisance caused by very few individuals,” Mayor Bensouda stated.
The operation seeks to address multiple issues, including cleaning and clearing waste from major highways and streets, charging refuse collection, removing derelict vehicles and machinery obstructing public spaces, and fining individuals who burn hazardous substances. It will also fine stray animal owners whose herds graze on streets and penalize those connecting sewage pipes to public drains or street gutters.
Public sensitization campaigns will begin on January 20, 2025, and will be conducted in all 19 wards of the metropolitan region to educate residents on the law’s provisions and their responsibilities.
Mayor Bensouda revealed that the council had created a municipal task force to enforce the by-law, with collaboration from the Gambia Police Force, the National Environment Agency (NEA), and other state agencies.
“We have set up the municipality task force that municipal police will lead and, of course, will work with government agencies and sister agencies, including the NEA, the Gambia Police Force, and others that complement our actions,” he said.
He added that the council would reintroduce the popular “Set-Settal” initiative, focusing on constituency-level cleaning efforts to enhance its impact. He also clarified that the operation is separate from the state-led “Operation Clear the Road.”
“We urge the government to support the council’s applications to get our municipal lands so that we can develop more markets and find places for these vendors,” he said while tasking vendors for maintaining a clean environment.
The initiative seeks to create lasting change and improve the quality of life for residents by promoting cleanliness and better waste management practices.
