Kaolack, Jan 7 (APS) – The National Police will deploy 600 agents from the Mobile Intervention Group (GMI) to ensure the security of the Magal of Porokhane, in the department of Nioro du Rip (Kaolack, center), a religious demonstration planned on February 6, APS learned from its officials.
”For this religious event, 600 elements of the GMI including a detachment of 100 agents will be prepositioned in Kaolack and as many in Nioro du Rip, above all to ensure compliance with the traffic plan,” indicated the commander of the operational group of the Mobile Group intervention (GMI), Ousseynou Diagne.
He reported that 15 vehicles will be mobilized and some 900 barriers deployed.
An innovation will be introduced this year, with the installation of a health center of the National Police Non-Commissioned Officers School and a large capacity water tank to strengthen the supply of drinking water pilgrims.
The National Firefighters Group plans to deploy 150 agents and around ten ambulances, as well as other logistical means for this Magal scheduled for February 6.
On Monday, the regional governor chaired a meeting of the regional development committee (CRD) involving the various decentralized services of the State of Senegal.
This CRD follows the local development council (CLD) and the departmental development committee (CDD). These two meetings made it possible to discuss the arrangements to be made for a good organization of this “extremely important” religious event, notes Mohamadou Moctar Watt.
”This is why we insisted on the involvement of all the department heads who are challenged by the grievances of the members of the organizing committee, so that there is a total success of this edition” , underlined the governor.
After discussions which lasted several hours, it was decided that, from a security point of view, all measures should be implemented by both the gendarmerie and the police to ensure the safety of people and property.
”In this regard, beyond traditional security, emphasis will be placed on road safety, in particular for the fluidity of traffic and the implementation of preventive measures, in perfect collaboration between the Police and the Gendarmerie, in order to to reduce the number of accidents during the event,” said the governor.
”The defense and security forces will be particularly rigorous in observing certain obligations which weigh mainly on motorcycle drivers +Jakarta+ relating to the wearing of helmets and respecting the number of passengers on board,” insisted Mohamadou Moctar Watt.
For the health sector, the organizing committee is requesting the deployment of a medical helicopter and an envelope of 40 million CFA francs for the purchase of medicines.
For good fluidity of mobility for pilgrims, the Road Management Agency (AGEROUTE) will do its best to try to review the quality of the tracks as well as national road number 4 which will be subject to rehabilitation to facilitate access to Porokhane.
A coordination meeting will be held on January 29 and 30 in Porokhane, to evaluate the implementation of all the decisions that were taken at the end of this CRD meeting, reassured the governor of the Kaolack region , Mohamadou Moctar Watt.
The president of the organizing committee, magnifying the commitment of the various state services involved in the organization of this religious event, maintains that the promises kept are reassuring.
”We are very satisfied with the commitment of the governor of Kaolack, the prefect of Nioro du Rip and the sub-prefect of Paoskoto in the process of organizing this Magal which is close to our hearts and hope that the promises kept by the different services will be held. We are really reassured,” he said.
”The holding of this CRD and the meetings which preceded it are illustrative of the commitment of local administrative authorities to the success of this Magal,” welcomed Serigne Bassirou Mbacké.
The Magal of Porokhane is a religious activity which pays homage, each year, to Sokhna Diarra Bousso (1833-1866), the mother of Serigne Touba, the founder of Mouridism.
ADE/ASG/MTN
