By Modou Kanteh
The Gambia government has unveiled a new multi-million-dollar project which will see the construction of sheltered fish landing platforms at Kartong and Sanyang Community Fisheries Centers.
The project will be implemented by the government with support from its development partners, the European Union Sector Support Program under the Sustainable Fisheries Partnership Agreement.
Construction at Kartong lot is underway and Sanyang lot is expected to commence as soon as the contract is signed. These sheltered and fish landing platforms, when ready would serve as a state-of-the-art community fisheries centres in both places.
The Fisheries Ministry is also rehabilitating 8 fishponds at Jahally and another 10 been already rehabilitated by the PROREFISH Project, Food and Agriculture Organisation supported project. The PROREFISH Project is to construct 50 new fishponds; 40 at Pacharr and 10 at Jahally.
According to officials the ministry provided WASH infrastructure (water supply and sanitation facilities) to about 100,000 and 10,000 rural Gambians for water and sanitation respectively in all five regions. Constructions of 68 solar powered water supply systems, 40 institutional sanitation facilities and 144 household latrines have been completed.
The Gambia government with UNICEF under the Program– WATER, SANITATION AND HYGIENE, have constructed 329 Ventilated Improved Pit latrines for 14 communities in WCR, CRR, and URR.Under this program, 4 communities in CRR benefited from solar powered water supply systems. The program constructed 27 toilet blocks in 13 schools in five regions in the country.