By Lamin Kujabi
A delegation from West Africa Coastal Area Resilience Investment project (WACA) was at State House on Friday to brief His Excellency President Adama Barrow about the implementation state of their project in the country.
The WACA Programme was launched in 2018, in response to countries’ request for solutions and finance to help protect and restore the ecological, social, and economic assets of West Africa’s coastal areas by addressing coastal erosion, flooding, and pollution. It helps the participating countries to stabilize the coastline, prevent loss of critical infrastructure like coastal roads for transport, and to support healthy and productive coastal waters needed for food security and natural capital.
Muhammed Lamin Sanyang, the WACA coordinator for The Gambia explained the state of the project implementation.
He informed that the three national components involve policy and institutional strengthening, climate change, disaster risk reduction, prevention, and strengthening of national and physical investment.
He disclosed that they are supporting eight government institutions by training their technical staff around climate change, disaster risk reduction and infrastructure. “We hired a consultant to develop land policy; currently consultation is ongoing for the policy by the Ministry of Lands, Regional Government and Religious Affairs”. Mr Sanyang said they are also supporting National Disaster Management Agency to develop the national disaster risk management policy, which has been validated and approved by cabinet; as well as a consultancy to develop the national disaster risk financing mechanism, to help finance disaster management initiatives. “On the environmental part, we are currently reviewing the anti-littering and environmental quality regulation. We are also supporting the Environment ministry to develop their strategic plan,” Sanyang said.
About the Kotu Stream development initiative, the WACA Coordinator informed that a consultant is being recruited for a detailed design for the area. “The Kotu Stream is 11. 2 Km and the catchment area is 1800 km with a population of over 200,000 people, about 10% of our national population”.
Sanyang however observed encroachment into the stream, and warned that to redesign the stream some structures need to go out. “It is really important to start discussing at that highest level. Also, we have started communicating with the communities,” he said.
