Kaolack, Dec 20 (APS) – A “vibrant tribute” must be paid to the elders and other pioneers of the Military Engineering Battalion, who have been able to make the link between security and development, since Senegal’s accession to international sovereignty , affirmed the commander of the said battalion, Lieutenant-Colonel Serigne Aliou Faye.
''Analyzing the developments in the army-nation concept could not be done without paying vibrant tribute to the elders and pioneers of military engineering who knew, since our country's accession to independence, in the service of political authority, identify this inseparable link between security and development,'' he said.
Lieutenant-Colonel Faye was speaking at the official ceremony of the 2024 edition of the patronal feast of Military Engineering “Sainte Barbe”, Friday, at the Sémou Djimith Diouf camp in Kaolack (center).
This year, this patronal celebration is focused on the theme: ''Evolution of the army-nation concept and adaptation to public development policies: Issues, challenges and perspectives for Military Engineering''. It was celebrated under the presidency of Colonel Diouma Sow, commander of military zone number 3.
Organized on 1is Wednesday of December each year, it was celebrated, this year, on December 4, at the Moussa Dioum military camp in Bargny.
''It is commemorated in the form of a cohesion meal in all places where engineering units are established to strengthen the spirit of cohesion and sharing between sappers, brothers in arms, paramilitaries, partners and civilian friends'', underlined Lieutenant-Colonel Serigne Aliou Faye.
According to him, it is a question, through this year's theme, of identifying ways and means for greater participation of military engineering in national construction.
''In the context of the drought of the 1960s, 150 volunteers were recruited and placed under military supervision,'' he recalled.
He indicated that it was they who ''created the village of Savoigne, 30 km north of Saint-Louis and exploited 500 hectares of land''. He recalled that ''several tonnes of paddy rice, tomatoes, potatoes, bananas, pineapples, etc. were produced for three years.
Since that date, he continues, they have responded to the calls for the army-nation concept for national construction, with several achievements to their credit.
He recalled those made in 1985, which enabled Senegal to avoid a break in the supply of drinking water to towns in the regions of Dakar and Thiès, supplied by the Senegal River and Lake Guiers, as well as the erection of the Sitibanta bridge, in 1994, to open up the Falémé.
''The heritage will be preserved, consolidated, fructified and perpetuated,'' promised Lieutenant-Colonel Serigne Aliou Faye.
He added that the needs for evolution and adaptation of the army-nation concept already seem to be taken into account by the first military engineering battalion.
It indicates as part of flood prevention and management, four retention basins, including two new ones and two others reprofiled, were respectively built in the Parcelles Assainies, Sam and Thioffack districts of the commune of Kaolack.
ADE/ASG/AKS
