By: Alieu Jallow
Residents of Nema Sukuta in the West Coast Region have decried the exacerbating severe flooding that has turned once dry, resilient land into a gentle stream, which locals attribute to persistent neglect by local authorities in addressing fundamental infrastructure needs.
Musa Samateh, a resident who has lived in the community for more than two decades, told this medium that for the past twenty years, they had never experienced flooding or waterlogging. However, the past two years have been a nightmare for them, following the illegal construction of concrete by residents who blocked the waterways to the main drain of the Kotu stream, leading to water flooding their houses and streets.
“This serious flooding started in 2022, 2023, and 2024, and it is increasing. We have discussed it as a community, but we couldn’t come to terms as individual interests override collective interest. So we are appealing to the authorities, either the NDMA, the WACA project—which once consulted us—or physical planning, that this is the right time to intervene before the problem escalates. As I speak, some compounds are submerged in water, which could cause further damage,” he decried.
While Mr. Samateh expressed gratitude to the WACA project for donating a mini pumping machine to help pump out water in compounds that are adversely affected, he highlighted their grievances regarding a significant issue rooted in the inadequate implementation of physical planning policies. A surge in population didn’t correspond with improvements in infrastructure, following inadequate zoning, with many settling along the waterways, thus creating a perfect storm for flooding.
“As individuals and as a community, we do not have the power to demolish anyone’s structure, so we are appealing to physical planning to take stringent measures before it’s too late to act. To the National Disaster Management Agency, you could help mitigate this issue and avoid giving us relief aid, which could be diverted to other places,” he appealed.
Meanwhile, Nyimading Sanneh, an aging woman, said that in the past, she ventured into both vegetable gardening and farming during the rainy season. However, she cited that the past two years have turned into horror with waterlogging taking center stage, leaving no crops or even grass surviving.
“For more than 10 years, I have been cultivating all types of crops ranging from maize, vegetables, and cassava. I used to cultivate sorrel, but today even that can’t survive, which leaves me in a dilemma as it’s my source of income. This issue has also led to the complete collapse of my mud house, leaving it beyond repair,” she emphasized.
Old Nyimading cited that her financial struggles have left her managing and coping with only the remaining part of her house to reside in. She calls on authorities to support efforts to mitigate her current predicament.
While many perceive the WACA project as a source of hope to address the disaster that continues to affect their community, they call on the implementing team to expedite the process to prevent future flooding disasters and build a resilient community that stands firm against nature’s fury.
