Thiès-Nord: Residents urge Minister Cheikh Tidiane Dièye to expedite the construction of the NGuinth canal

“Mr. Minister of Water and Sanitation, Dr. Cheikh Tidiane Dièye, while you are making numerous visits, announcements, and communication campaigns in certain localities, what concrete steps are you taking for Thiès, a city that has been severely affected by flooding for decades?” The question comes from residents of the Thiès-Nord district, who primarily want to know if they are truly “second-class Senegalese citizens?”

He continued: "With the rainy season just weeks away, what is the status of the NGuinth canal project? How many times have the authorities of the Thiès-Nord municipality, local elected officials, and the population alerted you to the urgency of this situation? How many letters, appeals, and appeals have been sent to your department?"

Mr. Baka Touré, spokesperson for the residents of the northern zone, drew attention to the fact that "the Nguinth canal is not a luxury. It is a vital necessity for thousands of families who live in fear of the rains every year. A large part of the city's runoff water passes through Thiès-Nord."

Yet, he laments, “despite repeated warnings, despite the obvious risks, despite the imminent approach of the rainy season, no concrete response is visible on the ground.” Why, he asks, “this difference in treatment between territories? Why this speed elsewhere and this slowness when it comes to Thiès? Are the people of Thiès-Nord less valuable than those of other municipalities? Do their homes deserve less protection? Do their possessions deserve less to be preserved?”

According to him, “flood management must not be driven by considerations of prestige, communication strategies, or territorial preferences. The Republic rests on a simple principle: the equality of all citizens before public services.” The residents of Thiès-Nord say they expect “neither speeches nor announcements,” but rather “actions” and “solutions.” They expect “the Ministry of Water and Sanitation to fully assume its mission throughout the entire national territory.”

And to emphasize to the minister: "At a time when you are promoting your vision of proactive and equitable public action, the residents of Thiès have the right to ask you: what concrete steps have you taken for them? What measures have you taken to secure Thiès-Nord before the arrival of the rains? What timeline can you present to the people regarding the Nguinth canal?"

For Baka Touré, “all Senegalese people have equal dignity. The people of Thiès-Nord are not asking for any privileges. They are simply demanding the legitimate right to be treated with the same consideration, attention, and diligence as all other citizens of the country.” He added that “the rainy season is approaching, and the people are waiting for action.”