State Authorities Intervene as Aggrieved Residents of Abuko Protest Over Lack of Electricity and Water Supply

FOROYAA Newspaper (Serrekunda)

Lamin Sanyang

29 April 2011

Reports reaching this paper yesterday have it that a group of people, largely young men and women from Abuko, gathered at the Buffer Zone in the Kanifing Municipality on their way to the Office of the President of the Republic to complain to him about the lack of installation of electricity and water in their settlement for a long period of time resulting in infiltration of their residential area by criminals. It is reported that some of them may have been arrested and taken away.

This reporter went to the scene at the Buffer Zone to find out the situation but upon his arrival he saw a crowd leaving the place. He also saw the vehicles of the Minister of Interior, the Inspector General of Police (IGP), Deputy Inspector General of Police (DIGP), Deputy Mayor of Kanifing Municipal Council (KMC), the Chief Executive Officer of (KMC) and others leaving the scene. He talked to one person from Abuko who was part of the group. The person complained that they live in the darkness without electricity and water supply for a long time. She told the reporter that they wanted to meet the President of the Republic at State House to voice out their plight to him. She added that some of them were arrested by the security and taken away.

“Our problem is electricity and water. Criminals are attacking us because of the darkness. We are suffering and need help. We want the President to know our condition and help us to redress the problem”, she lamented.

The Deputy Mayor of Kanifing Municipal Council (KMC), Mr. Yusupha Sanyang, was contacted to shed light on the issue. He said:”We were informed that they boarded a vehicle at Abuko to go to the State House. We went to the ground to address the situation and found the security personnel at the place, but we did not call them to the place.”

The Deputy Mayor added that the issue was about the problem of electricity and water. He said he think these people need an extension to get electricity supply. He said the Council knows that the people of Abuko are part of the Municipality and should enjoy the facilities. He said there was a pumping machine at Abuko that was sponsored by a white man from Holland and that the Council provides a weekly coupon of D2000 to fuel the machine. He said the Council has also built a new market for them.

The Deputy KMC Mayor was asked about the people that were said to be arrested by the security agents. He said the Council did not call the security officials but instead found them on the ground. He indicated that there was no arrest, but added that some of them were rude.

The Chief Executive Officer of KMC, Mr. Abdoulie Sanyang was also contacted. He said they heard some people from Abuko were trying to stage a demonstration and they went to the ground. He said, “We found the Minister of Interior, Mr. Ousman Sonko, the Inspector General of Police (IGP), the Deputy Inspector General of Police (DIGP), Commanding Officer of KMC police station on the ground.”

He said they found the Interior minister, Mr. Ousman Sonko telling the people that it is illegal to demonstrate. He said the Minister told them to follow the right procedures rather than engage in illegal demonstrations. He said both the Inspector General of Police and his deputy addressed the people at the Buffer Zone.

“One of the people at the crowd said that they did not benefit from the KMC but I and the Deputy Mayor refuted it”, said the CEO of KMC. He said they reminded them about the facilities that the Council had provided for them. He said they told them about the construction of the new market among other things. He said he told them there was no need to embark on demonstration; that if they have a constraint, they should go to the Council.

He was also asked about the people who were arrested. He said some of them were trying to misbehave and were confronted by the police, but added that there was no arrest. He said, “It is news to me that some of them were arrested.”

Meanwhile, the station Officers of the Serrekunda Police and Bundung Police Stations were contacted, but they said they are not aware of arrests at the Buffer Zone.

The Police Intervention Unit in Kanifing was also contacted, but it was said that the Commanding Officer was not in the office.

The Public Relation Officer (PRO) of The Gambia Police Force was also contacted and he said he was not aware of the incident at the Buffer Zone. Anybody who is aware of any arrest should inform this reporter.

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