By Buba Gagigo
The Lord Mayor of the city of Banjul, who is also President of REFELA-Africa, Rohey Malick Lowe, has on Thursday, January 5th, 2023, laid the foundation stone for the Better Life Initiative project, an initiative focused on the building of sheds for vegetable and fish vendors at the Albert Market in Banjul.
The Ceremony was attended by the CEO of Banjul City Council, the National Coordinator of the RAFELA Gambia chapter, Councilors, and residents of Banjul.
“We are Fast Tracking the project very well. This is a project that is dear to my heart because the women vendors were transferred to another place for work to commence but we want you to return very soon to your normal stalls and start working. The contractor is working very well to see to it that the market is completed in a short time. Inshallah, we will come back here in February to inaugurate the market,” mayor Rohey Malick Lowe said after the foundation stone laying.
The Mayor also thanked the Mayor of Lagfifat in Morocco for funding the major part of the project and urged the women and youths to take ownership of REFELA, whose main objective is to benefit women and youths.
The Banjul Mayor revealed that another site had been earmarked for construction immediately after the completion of the new market.
The National Coordinator of the RAFELA Gambia chapter, Isatou Njie added, “This was a promised that was made by the Mayor, and today she has fulfilled her promised”
The contractor of the project Modou Joof thank the Lord Mayor for contracting a Gambian to do the project and promise to complete it in the next six weeks.
The construction which is three-quarter way is intended to be completed in the next six weeks time and the inauguration of the market is scheduled for February as promised by the Mayor.
On the same day, the mayor also opened her newly built toilet for market vendors at Albert Market.