Tanji Drivers in Limbo due to lack of car park/ garage

Taxi Drivers in Tanji, Kombo South District are without garage, using the main fish market junction from the Highway along the road into the Village, and along the Highway to Sanyang as Garage, for vehicles plying to into main Tanji, Madiana, and and Sanyang respectively. This results in congestion along the highway, making traffic along the roads difficult. As a result residents in Taf Estate in Tanji and suburbs have been complaining about the situation leading to congested traffic. However the situation got worse during President Adama Barrow's last Monday meeting in Tanji, as part of President's Meet the Peoples' Tour, mandated by The Gambian Constitution. The Taskfroce clearing stalls around the roadsides and market areas ordered drivers plying into the Town and Madiana to move further down about 50 metres from the main junction, around Taf Estate gate. Some vehicles from Madiana now even stand at the Taf Estate gate to offload passengers.

When approached about the situation, Mr Lamin Darboe- the leader of the Drivers Association in Tanji said they are without garage, but are laising with the Alkalo of Tanji who promised to allocate them garage. He said the community garden at the entrance of Tanji has been identified for use as garage and market, but noted that lot of work need to be done to enable them use that place, if arrangements are concluded with the Alkalo. "We discussed with the Alkalo, but he was berieved, but he promised to come back to us to finalise discussions for garage allocation arrangements," he said. He call on the Transport Unon and relevant stakeholders to help them ensuring that they have a garage. Tanji located in Kombo South District, West Coast Region of The Gambia, about 30 Kilometres from the Capital- Banjul is a rapidly developing village, without a garage and market. The Fishing Landing Centre is serving as fish market and host the community market. During the President's Monday evening meeting the Taskforce came in advance demolishing stallsand ordered drivers to move from around the main junction where they were using as garage. Victims of the demolition exercise complain that such will have adverse effects on their livelihoods. Demolition exercise came at a time when Tanji Market Vendors recently formed an association, aimed among others to seek possibilities of securing better place for use as market, because their current market is not suitable, because it is congested.