Rédaction Africa Links 24 with Moussa Diarra
Published on 2024-03-27 14:44:54
The banks of this watercourse can offer better, if they are well developed
By Fatoumata M. SIDIBE
Bamako, March 27 (AMAP) The Niger River, called Djoliba in its section in Bamako, is an important element of the landscape in the Malian capital. Three bridges (Martyrs Bridge, Fahd Bridge, Sino-Malian Friendship Bridge) span it in its crossing of the capital. Its bed and banks are exploited by many city dwellers engaged in income-generating activities: fishing, market gardening, sand extraction. This makes Djoliba a source of income for residents of Bamako.
The banks of this watercourse can offer better, if they are well developed. In this regard, initiatives struggle to thrive, leaving waste to reign supreme and engulf opportunities for those with a sense of business.
Indeed, the development of the Niger River banks can only be a boon not only for the economy of the capital, but also for the well-being of humans and aquatic fauna. The setting is ideal for the establishment of restaurants and other recreational venues.
Today, human actions have eroded the natural beauty of the river. On Monday, March 18, Zan Diarra waters his plants on the banks, near the Cinquantenaire Place. He directly fills his watering can from the river and moistens his sweet potato planks. The gardening enthusiast has seen waste colonize the banks, year after year. Developments could, in his opinion, have stopped this disaster. “Beautiful buildings on the banks would be profitable for the river and for the state,” he says. Not far from him, a visitor, who wished to remain anonymous, gazes at the river. This resident’s wish is to see the state develop, as is the case in some countries, green spaces for relaxation. “The proximity to the river provides a pleasant microclimate that customers love,” adds a chef we met in his restaurant, built in the form of a boat on the banks.
Along the river is a space full of enormous potential, but it is dilapidated in several parts of the city. According to the former Minister of Urbanism and City Policy and former Prime Minister, Moussa Mara, the river banks should be used for various activities instead of being left in a wild state. Moussa Mara points out that our river is like a ditch letting water pass through, people throw garbage into it and it receives wastewater. Instead, it could be a space for leisure and well-being for city dwellers. “When I was minister, we had an old project to develop the riverbed to narrow it and make it deeper and more navigable. This project envisioned the development of the banks by constructing buildings to make the city of Bamako attractive,” recalls the former head of government.
He saw a similar project during a mission in Morocco and wanted to see the same thing in Bamako. The Moroccans had even expressed their willingness to help realize his wish.
REVENUES OF 1.5 TRILLION – Back in the country, the former Minister of Urbanism and City Policy wasted no time in conducting studies to finally develop a preliminary project estimated at 1 trillion CFA francs. “Never in the history of Mali have we had a project of this magnitude. It was going to generate 1.5 trillion in revenue,” says Mr. Mara.
According to him, by filling in the river, the bed narrows, making it more beautiful, deeper, and fuller. Road traffic lanes were planned along both banks, from Sébénikoro to Moribabougou and from Kalaban-coro to Missabougou. Leisure spaces such as an amusement park and green spaces would also be built.
The project could also expand to include the recycling of liquid waste and the development of solid waste disposal sites. Moussa Mara regrets seeing this project shelved even though he had presented it to the then President of the Republic. The President had even expressed a desire for the presidency to take charge of the dossier, given its importance.
The Niger River Basin Agency (ABFN) has as its main missions the safeguarding of the Niger River, the protection of the banks against degradation, and the cleaning of the beds of its tributaries and main watercourse. The Deputy General Director of this Agency, Moussa Diamoye, recalls that they are setting up a financial mechanism for collecting royalties from organizations that draw water and pollute the Niger River.
In other words, it involves making those who pollute or use the river for commercial purposes contribute.
The Deputy General Director of ABFN explains that in 2019 they proposed a project to develop the banks of the river in the urbanized areas of Bamako, which covered 22 kilometers, from Kalanbabougou to Sotuba. The goal was to reduce the section of the Niger River in the District, as there are many constructions in the servitudes. “People who have houses in this area are encroaching on the river,” he denounces.
“The Agency had partners to carry out the project, but the support that the partner requested from the State to address certain concerns was not taken into account,” he regrets.
He emphasizes that the last concrete action taken in the framework of this project dates back to 2019. A statement from the Council of Ministers mentioned the project’s duration, highlighting that it would help protect the river and give the capital a new look.
Indeed, the construction of high-end commercial shops and the creation of tourist activities with boats to generate resources were planned. “To this day,” Moussa Diamoye explains, “the Agency has been able to carry out a few kilometers of mechanical and biological developments of the banks in some regions.” “For some time now,” he continues, “the Agency has been fighting for any concession of plots in the vicinity of the river to require the opinion of the ABFN to assess its impact on water and residents.” However, in its action against those who occupy the river’s servitudes, it is limited “as generally, these are individuals who hold land titles issued by the country’s administrations.”
FMS/MD (AMAP)
Read the original article(French) on AMAP
