Mayor’s Speech on
The Official Handing Over of the WASTEAID Project to sister project (KEPT)
Date: Thursday 28th of July, 2022
Venue: KMC main office ground
Time: 9:30am
Distinguished ladies and gentlemen
Good morning to you all.
It is my privilege and distinct pleasure to welcome you all to this handing over ceremony. I particularly wish to congratulate the project team for the successful implementation of the project. In July last year, we launch a pilot project “Building climate resilience through sustainable biodegradable waste management in Kanifing Municipality, The Gambia” in Abuko. Today, we are all gathered here to witness the official handing over of the project activities to KETP for the sustainability of the project.
Your Excellency’s, distinguish guest, ladies and gentlemen. During the launching of the project, we promised the women gardeners of the project’s resolve to produce compost for their respective gardens to improve the productivity and yield from their vegetable gardens. We are really excited to announce that the project has effective produce compost for the targeted and I am sure the women are feeling the benefits.
The project also trained women on how to produce bio-briquettes which is providing an alternative to unsustainable use of forest trees for charcoal. Today, we are pleased to receive the two products i.e., bio-briquettes and compost that was made through the project.
Excellencies, allow me to emphasize that the Council under my leadership attaches great significance to the sustainability of its projects. Therefore, the handing over of this project to a sister project is in the right direction as the activities of the phased-out project is very much in line with the three main outputs of Kanifing Environmental Transformation Programme (KETP) which is also funded by European Union. So, rest assured your Excellencies, there will be smooth transition of the WasteAid project to KETP.
Distinguish personalities, Ladies and Gentlemen, My Council is absolutely passionate about sustainable waste management and we will do our utmost to come up with sustainable solutions that will be environmentally friendly and economically viable through partnership. I therefore, challenge the GCAA+ to continue supporting us so that we can scale up the project to the next stage.
In conclusion, I wish to extend our sincere appreciation to Waste Aid UK and Women Initiative Gambia (WIG) for the fruitful collaboration over the past year. I would also like to express gratitude to our women who are always at the fore front of our development. We recognize your tireless efforts and therefore we promise to continue supporting your development endeavours.
On this note, I thank you all for your kind attention.
Talib Ahmed Bensouda
Lord Mayor
Kanifing Municipal Council
