Dakar, June 3 (APS) – The national cleaning day and the first hiccups in the organization of the pilgrimage to the holy places of Islam are the subjects addressed by the daily newspapers received Monday at the Senegalese Press Agency (APS).
”The President of the Republic launched, on Saturday, the first National Cleaning Day (set-setal) coupled with flood prevention. Bassirou Diomaye Faye invited the Senegalese to take ownership of this initiative,” reports the daily Bës Bi.
”And it was Thiaroye Gare which was chosen for its +historical character+. The Head of State recalled that ‘we must set an example, determine our collective responsibility in the maintenance of these Thiaroye Gare sites sensitive to flooding and their consequences’, writes the newspaper.
According to the daily Le Soleil, ”the President of the Republic insists on the perpetuation” of this national cleaning day. The publication notes that ”across the national territory, the populations came out massively to respond to the call of the Head of State who wants daily mobilization”.
L’As notes the ”success” of this day and underlines that Prime Minister Ousmane Sonko ”promises to +clean up+ the State”.
”Prime Minister Ousmane Sonko was in Kawsara in the department of Rufisque to see the constructions on lowlands. On the occasion, Ousmane Sonko returned to the essence of the cleaning day and the need to perpetuate it. But he thinks that beyond the environment and the living environment, the broom will also pass within the administration and all institutions of the Republic,” writes the newspaper.
The same daily highlights the “hiccups” about the pilgrimage to Mecca. Indeed, “pilgrims who were supposed to fly to the holy places of Islam on Saturday for the pilgrimage are still grounded, due to lack of flight. Responsible for the inconvenience caused, Air Senegal sent all passengers to hotels in Dakar in order to find a solution.
“Air Senegal confuses the pilgrims,” says Libération, adding that “the 2024 edition of the Hajj is on the verge of turning into a fiasco.” ”Pilgrims, private tour operators…all angry with the national airline. Indeed, thousands of pilgrims have seen their flights to Mecca delayed or simply canceled without reason,” reports the newspaper.
EnQuête talks about “persistence of bad practices at Air Senegal”. ”The airline Air Senegal has once again plunged its customers into disarray. After several hours of waiting in deplorable conditions, due to the absence of a plane, passengers on their way to Mecca for the 2024 Hajj demonstrated their anger at Blaise Diagne International Airport in Dakar (AIBD), this Saturday,” notes the newspaper.
”While it was expected that it would save its honor by putting on a good show with the transport of pilgrims to the holy places of Islam, Air Senegal once again completely missed the mark. The national company has, in fact, made future pilgrims experience hell at the Aibd, summoning passengers since Friday evening for a flight scheduled for 6:40 a.m., Saturday June 1st. These passengers who hoped so much to leave Dakar knew, at departure time and after the formalities, that they would not be able to travel,” deplores Les Echos.
According to the newspaper, ”the worst is that in the face of such hubbub, Air Senegal seemed to lose its voice, limiting itself to telling its customers there is no plane. Faced with this situation, the Minister of Air Transport, Malick Ndiaye maintained that all the necessary measures have been taken so that there is no hiccup. The authority will say that of the 11 scheduled flights, all nine left on time, with more than 3,500 pilgrims. For their part, private tour operators are in great disarray, not knowing which way to turn.
”The national company Air Senegal does it again. Last Saturday, many pilgrims were left stranded at Blaise Diagne International Airport in Diass (Aibd). Tired of waiting and left to their own devices without any interlocutor to make themselves heard, candidates for the pilgrimage improvised a sit-in at the Aibd hall. Very angry, they denounced what they consider to be ‘irresponsible behavior’ of those responsible for the national company who did not respect their commitments,” reports WalfQuotidien.
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