In the Senegalese city of Dakar, urban planning and flood control are coming up against 3,546 cases of illegal occupation.
An expert study in Senegal has identified 3,546 cases of illegal occupation in Dakar, particularly near lakes and drainage structures. These include 1,349 buildings already constructed, 905 buildings under construction and 1,234 residential plots. These figures were confirmed by Mamour Diallo, Director General of Senegal’s National Sanitation Office ONAS).
“The aim is to examine the exact legal nature of the areas targeted, to define the withdrawal procedures if necessary or to suggest alternative actions. Indeed, we see the need to continue efforts to restructure urban areas and develop flood zones, but above all to restore and preserve the natural outlets for rainwater”, explains Serigne Mbaye Thiam, Senegal’s Minister for Water and Sanitation.
While the census teams are calling for local authorities to be provided with spatial planning documents (urban development plans and master plans), the Senegalese government is planning to “liberate” the targeted areas over the coming months. This measure should help prevent flooding and drowning by reinforcing sewerage networks and making Dakar’s water retention basins safer.
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Senegal’s capital and other coastal towns in the West African country are vulnerable to the vagaries of the weather. This is the case of Saint-Louis, where the municipality is often powerless to cope with rising water levels during the rainy season. To remedy this situation in the long term, the Teranga government is implementing the Rainwater Management and Climate Change Adaptation Project (PROGEP). Financed by the Global Environment Facility (GEF) and the World Bank, the main aim of the second phase is to build several pumping stations to benefit 237,000 inhabitants.
Benoit-Ivan Wansi
