By Lamin Kujabi
His Excellency President Adama Barrow has recently embarked on a tour of the Greater Banjul Area to inspect various development projects. Accompanied by several ministers, the President gathered first-hand information and assessed the status of ongoing construction works.
The tour began with a visit to the University of The Gambia (UTG) 2nd Phase project at the Faraba Campus, followed by the Environment building at Abuko, the Hydara Industrial Zone, and the Kanilai Ferry at the Banjul shipyard.
During the tour, President Barrow engaged with engineers, consultants, and contractors, urging them to ensure the timely delivery of their projects.
Lot 2 of the UTG Faraba Campus includes three buildings: the chancery, the School of Agriculture and Environmental Science, and the Faculty of Law. The contractor provided details about the Chancery building, highlighting that progress has been hindered by heavy downpours and poor coordination.
This high-level visit also allowed President Barrow to intervene and address the challenges faced by contractors. The President expressed dissatisfaction with the progress on the chancery building, noting that it was behind schedule.
He underscored the need for realistic planning to ensure timely delivery, reaffirming the government’s commitment to providing high-quality projects within the approved budget and on schedule.
After the conducted tour of the facility, President expressed satisfaction with the progress of the Schools of Agriculture and Law, which are now 90% complete.
“This will be the first time the Faculty of Agriculture will include a laboratory for practical fieldwork, and the Law Faculty will have a moot court for students to practice their legal skills”. President Barrow highlighted.
The Hydara Car City, in Abuko features a 300-stall plaza designed to connect buyers and dealers of spare parts, motorbikes, and vehicles. This initiative aims to complement the government’s efforts to mitigate unemployment, with plans to construct an additional 300 stalls once operations begin.
The Ministry of Environment building will feature 94 offices as well as create a wealth of job opportunities for the youth. This is part of the government’s strategy to create 150,000 jobs by 2027, aimed at improving the livelihoods of Gambians. The building is expected to be handed over to the Ministry in March 2025.
The government is taking necessary steps to implement these ongoing projects as part of President Barrow’s promise to provide essential infrastructure that enhances the quality of life for the people of The Gambia.
The infrastructure projects consider the mobility needs of individuals with disabilities to access public buildings, as mandated by the National Disability Act.
