Chairman of Brikama Area Council, Sheriffo Sonko recently gave a cheque amounting to three million, five hundred and sixty-eight thousand, five  hundred and twenty-five dalasis (D3,568,525.00) to four communities within which quarrying operations take place in the West Coast Region.

The communities are Pirang, Gunjur, Sanyang and Kartong in the Kombo East and South districts of the region, the funds are meant for the implementation of development projects in the respective communities.

Mr Sonko called on the beneficiary communities to work with their Ward Councillors so as to achieve the aims and objectives of their various VDCs,He said it is the goal of the council to engage the department of Geology to ensure that the funds generated from these communities are given back to the communities.

Chief Executive Officer at the Brikama Area Council, Modou Jonga elucidated on the objectives of the funds given to the beneficiary communities.He asserted that the disbursement of the funds is a fulfillment of the Brikama Area Council’s obligation to communities within which quarrying operations take place. He further announced that a total of seven community priority projects have been duly identified by respective Ward Development Committees for Gunjur, Kartong, Pirang, Sanyang.

CEO Modou Jonga disclosed that the identified projects include are the rehabilitation of women’s garden project in Berrending in Kombo South District, electricity expansion project in Kartong, rehabilitation of Kartong Badala fish smoking center, electricity expansion in Pirang Darussalam Kabilo, rehabilitation of a major feeder road connecting Tanji to Lamsarr, electricity expansion within three Kabilolu in Gunjur and construction of admission wards for the health post in Sambuya Village. Mr Jonga encouraged the beneficiaries to utilise the funds for its intended purposes so that other communities could also benefit from similar intervention in the future.

Lamin Sanneh, The Governor of West Coast Region emphasized on the need to maintain peace in the region noting that without peace and stability no meaningful development can be achieved.He added that sand and gravel mining are controlled by the government and advised that these resources should be managed properly.

 

By: Sainabou Jasseh