Symbole

Modernisation of religious cities: An excellent performance by President Macky Sall

Focus — Friday, October 13, 2023

In 2014, President Macky SALL launched an ambitious programme to modernise religious sites in Senegal, with the aim of providing quality infrastructure in holy cities such as Medina Baay, Leona Niassene, Ndiassane, Touba, Tivaouane, Yoff and Popenguine, and others.

Thanks to this innovative programme, major infrastructure has been built, including motorways, urban roads, health centres, sewage works and public lighting, profoundly transforming these religious sites.

     

The Tivaouane multi-purpose complex, opened in December 2015, has been expanded with a 72-room residence, bringing its capacity to 144 beds, in addition to 9 VIP suites. The multi-purpose Medina Baay complex also boasts a hospitality infrastructure of international standards, with 64 rooms and 10 VIP suites.

The aim of these projects is to make it easier for religious cities to welcome and accommodate guests and worshippers during major religious events.

President SALL also played a decisive role in the completion of the Great Mosque of Leona Niassene, whose construction had begun at the instigation of the Khalifa General. In Dakar, several mosques, including the Plateau and Pikine Mosques, as well as the Thierno Mouhamadou Seydou Ba Mosque in Bopp, have been built thanks to the support of President Macky SALL. Construction of this mosque began 40 years ago, becoming an architectural marvel of Dakar and even Africa itself, with a surface area of 7,000 m², impressive capacity and striking architecture.

      

Finally, the modernisation programme has also led to renovation of the Cathedral of Saint-Antoine de Padoue in Ziguinchor and work carried out on the Marian Shrine in Popenguine, which will be able to accommodate up to 90,000 people. These efforts demonstrate President SALL’s commitment to preserving and developing places of worship in Senegal, while enhancing the attractiveness of these religious sites of national and international importance.