Tanji Drivers call for support to upgrade new car park before the raining season

Lamin Darboe, The President of the Tanji drivers association has said that they have finally been allocated garage at the former women garden, but added that the place need to be sand filled with gravel before the raining season, otherwise rain water will drive them out of the place if not sand filled. He said the place which was initially used as women garden is a water settlement area, and the flooding area of rain water from the village to the river, via the river bank. He however said that the Brikama Area Council (BAC) Chairman invited Carparks representatives in the West Coast Region to discuss their plights last Monday during which each representative raised their concerns.

Mr Darboe said two community car parks - namely Tanji and Lamin villages are in need of Sandfilling in their car parks, but Lamin representative did not turn up for the meeting. He added that Bac Chairman has promised to help them upgrade the car park."The Chairman promised to pay us a visit during the Ramadan, to assess the situation. "The carpark also need a sewage system to allow flooding waters from the village areas to flow smoothly into the river," he said.

Mr Darboe is appealing to stakeholders to help them with their needs, adding that these are their major concerns after having a car park earlier this year through community's intervention. Furthermore he said they also need support to develop the roads linking Tanji, Lamsarr and Madiana villages respectively, noting that these roads also need to be upgraded, because they are more difficult to use during the raining season. "But sand filling the car park with gravel, and providing a sewage system for flooding water are our priorities at the moment," said Mr Daeboe.

It could be recalled that the Tanji Drivers were in Limbo following Gambian President Adama Barrow's visist in December 2023, during which the Taskforce leading the President's convoy evacuated them from base at the main Tanji junction along thekombo South Highway. The situation compelled the drivers to engage the village authorities who decided to allocate the community garden for use as car park and market. Women market vendors have already started oocupying the new market, but also need filling with gravels before the advent of raining season