By Aji Fatou Jammeh
The Kanifing Municipal Council last week received Mayor Satya Rhode Conway of Madison City in the United States of America as special guest of the Mayor and people of Kanifing Municipality.
The relationship between the KM and Madison City dated back to 2016.
The relationship is anchored on the belief that person-to-person relationship is critical to building ties and to bringing about global peace.
The authorities of the two sister cities say their ties aim to develop lasting partnership where they provide forum for exchange of ideas and views.
Mayor Satya who led a high-powered delegation, is visiting The Gambia for the first time.
Upon their arrival the American delegation participated in a general council meeting at KMC.
Mayor Talib Ahmed Bensouda thanked Samba Baldeh, a State Representative at the Wisconsin State, who is also a Gambian by orign, for making the visit possible.
Mayor Satya Rhode Conway also expressed gratitude for the warm welcome they have received from Kanifing Municipality, and that they are happy to share the experience and provide information and support on what they are doing.
Later on in midweek Mayor Satya and delegation visited the Bakau Women’s Garden. Madam Papia Badjie, the Director of Urban Agriculture gave background information of the garden, revealing that is 15-hectre land on which about 526 women work.
“I am honored to be here because we have collaboration with KMC on the Aid Management Project that has already phased out but we have registered some progress in the activities that were done here,’’ the visiting Mayor said.
Lamin Dibba, Bakau Cape Point Councilor said they are trying to extend the garden to accommodate more women.
“Most of the gardeners are old women, they toil the soil to earn living; so supporting them means you are supporting the whole nation,’’ he said.
Samba Baldeh assured the women of Bakau garden of their support and collaboration in terms of some of the challenges they have mentioned; such as seeds, storage facilities, fertilizer among others, to boost production and productivity.
