Terminus 54: The mayor of Keur Massar Nord raises his voice and defies the...

In an interview with L'Observateur, the mayor of Keur Massar Nord, Adama Sarr, strongly criticized the suspension of work on the Terminus 54 sports complex by the General Directorate for Land Use Monitoring and Control (DGSCOS). He denounced the decision, which he believes directly threatens the schedule for the Dakar 2026 Youth Olympic Games (YOG), as the complex is slated to host several events related to the competition.

The mayor directly contests the prerogatives of the DGSCOS (General Directorate of Social Cohesion and Urban Planning) and rejects its involvement in the construction site. He reiterates that the land belongs to the municipality and that building permits fall under municipal jurisdiction: "The DGSCOS is not authorized to grant building permits. It only handles oversight. It is the mayor who authorizes construction within his municipality," he asserts. Adama Sarr also dismisses any suggestion of a land dispute, maintaining that "there is no litigation, no complaint concerning the site."

Faced with what he considers an unjustified intervention, the mayor is taking responsibility. He claims to have ordered the Chinese company in charge of the construction site to continue the work and not to comply with the summons from the DGSCOS (General Directorate of Social Cohesion and Cooperation). "I asked the company to continue the work," he confirms, standing by his decision to disregard the injunction.

With the construction already behind schedule, Adama Sarr is warning of the consequences of a prolonged blockage. The company had announced a delivery date in October. The complex, intended to house a synthetic football pitch, a FIBA-standard basketball court, and a handball court, should ideally be delivered no later than October 31st.

With the Youth Olympic Games just weeks away, the mayor is warning of the repercussions of a prolonged work stoppage on the program planned for Keur Massar. "If the stoppage continues, there could be a delay in the delivery of the facilities" and "disrupt the schedule of activities planned for this site," he cautions. He emphasizes that this infrastructure is the only one being built in Keur Massar for the Youth Olympic Games and that it is intended to allow local youth to fully participate in the event.

Despite the standoff with the DGSCOS (General Directorate of Social Cohesion and Construction), the spokesperson for the Groupe Futurs Médias newspaper expressed confidence in a favorable outcome. Believing that no valid reason justifies the work stoppage, he appealed to the relevant authorities to quickly resolve the situation and allow the project to be completed on schedule.