The Bakoteh dumpsite was engulfed by a huge fire this morning as fire fighters battled the inferno.  

The fire is believed to have started at 5am this morning.

The Kanifing Municipal Council Service Department blamed the government for failing to heed the council’s call for closure of the site. 

It said that the Bakoteh dumpsite cannot still serve as a dumpsite given that it has run out of capacity and an entire community surrounds it.

“Three years ago, we requested from the Gambia Government through the Ministry of Lands and Ministry of Environment to allocate an alternate landfill and provide support for the clean-up and closure of the Bakoteh dumpsite once and for all.

“KMC over the years has invested heavily in waste collection and for the first time we now have the adequate fleet boasting 40 vehicles which include trucks and tractors and tricycles to carry the majority of KMCs waste to an alternate dumpsite. 

“As we have done over the years, we continue to call on the Gambia Government to prioritize this national health crisis and provide an alternative dumpsite/landfill ASAP!,”KMC said.

According to KMC, it has invested heavily to minimise the health hazard that the dumpsite causes to the community by building a D8 million 1.8km perimeter fence and also with the support of SOS and the German Government to improve the dumpsite infrastructure through the ongoing D42 million BMZ project.

Reporting by Adama Makasuba