The mayor of the city of Banjul has declared his intention to contest for mayoral elections, slated for April 2018.
In an interview with The Point at his office yesterday, Mayor Abdoulie Bah said, he seeks to be re-elected into office to serve a second-term to enable him complete his works in the city of Banjul.
Mayor Bah, who won elections five years ago on an independent ticket, outlined a series of projects he has undertaken to change the state of the country’s capital city- Banjul. “In the future most of the feeder-roads in Banjul will be interlocked as a lot of the city’s streets in the city were once interlocked. When I took office, I developed most of the streets,” Mayor Bah said.
Some of the roads being constructed under his leadership would even have to be controlled, Mayor Bah said, arguing that upon completion, such roads will require some form of control to avoid heavy vehicles plying the roads. This is necessary for their durability, he said, adding that it will continue to provide good road network facility for the residents of Banjul.
The mayor, who disclosed that the city council is also working on the lighting system of the capital city, said they have already planned to change it into led-lighting system, particularly the street lights.
The street lights take a whooping D500, 000 monthly payments for electricity bills, which he described as unsustainable. “From Mile 4 to the State House is over 300 street lights, with each consuming some 350 Watts. This excludes the inner side of Banjul.
“I believe that the solution for Banjul is led-lighting, through which a pole will consume about 120 to 130 Watts. This means if we pay D600, 000 per month, we will end up paying less than D150, 000 or D200, 000,” the mayor said. The balance can be used offset the council’s debts and salvage Banjul from its financial heavy loans, he said.
“The amount compound owners are paying to BCC cannot salvage Banjul and we should know that nobody will come from outside to develop our nation for us, but rather it is us who should do it,” he remarked.
Bah further disclosed that D35 Million post rainy season roads construction project has been budgeted, earmarked for the continuation of road construction works within Banjul.
On the city’s sewage, Mr. Bah said, they have halted the maintenance of the system and made recommendations for the construction of another. However, he said, they have experienced a setback from the engineers, whom he said, had “failed us.”
Bah is convinced that his work over the past four years is “a clear manifestation” that victory is his, boasting that what he accomplished in four years, no other mayor had done it in the history of the council since in the 60s.
Source: Point Newspaper
