By: Dawda Baldeh
Hon. Seedy S. K Njie, National Assembly Deputy Speaker, has told journalists that incumbent Mayor of Kanifing Municipal Council, Talib Ahmed Bensouda, has failed the people of Kanifing Municipality.
The Deputy Speaker is also a top official of the ruling National People’s Party (NPP). The incumbent Mayor of Kanifing Municipal Council (KMC) is of the main opposition United Democratic Party (UDP) and he is seeking re-election.
Hon. Njie was speaking to journalists at the ongoing NPP mayoral candidate caravan tour in Kanifing.
He asserted that Kanifing is the biggest municipality in terms of resources and funds, but claimed that from 2018 to 2023, the council under the leadership of Talib Ahmed Bensouda has not done anything else apart from fencing the Bakoteh dumpsite.
“Talib has failed the people of Kanifing Municipality. He cannot tell people his achievements over the years,” Njie said.
According to the Deputy Speaker, the council under the leadership of Bensouda has not constructed a single square kilometre of road within the municipality over the past five years.
“Bakary Badjie [the NPP mayoral candidate for KMC] has a plan, vision, and agenda to transform the municipality to be one of the best municipalities in terms of development. KMC could address serious issues in terms of development. Bakary Badjie will work in tandem with the government to ensure that the President’s vision of transforming the municipality is achieved.
KMC has a lot of money. Their annual revenue collection is in hundreds of millions of dalasis that alone if judiciously, effectively and efficiently utilized, it will solve some of the problems,” Njie told newsmen.
He mentioned that the people of KM need markets; and that the youths want their football fields to be constructed to fit for purpose, while women gardeners need good storage facilities.
“Whether the 25% of subvention come from the government or not, there is enough resources that the KMC is generating from taxpayers that they could be able to give back to the people for development,” he explained.
The Deputy Speaker said if Bensouda was committed to developing the Council, he would have constructed at least a road of 10-20 kilometers within the five years.
“But this has not happened. There is no development,” he said.
