Gambiaj.com – (BAKOTEH, The Gambia) – The Mayor of Kanifing Municipal Council (KMC), Talib Bensouda, on Tuesday laid the foundation stone for the expansion of the Bakoteh Fish Market, a project designed to provide additional space for hundreds of vendors and establish a fully functional ice plant to improve fish preservation.
The first phase of the project will cover an area of 3,745.16 square meters at a cost of D4.4 million. It is aimed at integrating street vendors into the formal market setting by creating legitimate trading spaces within the market premises.
Speaking at the ceremony, Mayor Bensouda said the expansion was initiated in response to persistent appeals from market women and traders, who have long raised concerns about congestion and inadequate space.
“Today I lay the foundation stone for the expansion of Bakoteh Fish Market to create an extra 3,745.16 square meters of area, which will create space for hundreds of vendors,” Bensouda said. “The first phase of the project will cost D4.4 million and will support street vendors to gain legitimate space within the vicinity of the market.”
He noted that the project would significantly improve working conditions for vendors while easing overcrowding in one of the country’s busiest fish markets.
The mayor was accompanied by Councillor Lamin Jammeh, Vice Chair of the Market Board, Deputy Mayor Binta Janneh Jallow, and KMC Chief Executive Officer Pa Sait Ceesay. Vendors at the event also commended the newly appointed market manager, Famara Jarjue, praising his commitment to cleanliness and his supportive approach to traders since assuming office.
Addressing vendors, Cllr Lamin Jammeh said the market board had identified unused land within the market that would be developed as part of the expansion. He assured traders that the construction process would not result in the displacement of any vendors.
Vice President of the Vendors’ Committee, Isatou Samateh, welcomed the project and thanked the mayor for responding to their long-standing concerns. She emphasized the importance of the planned ice plant, explaining that it would enable vendors to preserve fish in bulk, reduce losses, and improve overall business efficiency. She also called on the municipality to rehabilitate the road behind the market, which becomes difficult to access during the rainy season.
In response, Mayor Bensouda confirmed that road construction at the back of the market would commence after the completion of the expansion, further enhancing access and supporting the livelihoods of Bakoteh vendors.
The expansion project is expected to boost the local fish industry while providing a safer, more organized, and dignified trading environment for market users.
