State House, Banjul, 21st August 2021: President Adama Barrow Friday reaffirmed The Gambia Government’s commitment to attaining the objectives of the OIC roads initiative while on a conducted tour of sites of the proposed infrastructure.
Speaking during the tour, President Barrow said the completion of the roads project will be a ‘game changer’ and will transform the infrastructural landscape of the country, adding that work will commence soon.
“This is a game-changer. It will change the lives of the people, especially those who live around this area,” the President said, revealing that the negotiations for the project took time due to the large number of stakeholders involved.
The road construction project is part of the preparations for the forthcoming Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) Summit in Banjul in 2022. The purpose of the tour, according to the President, was for him to inspect the potential sites physically after authorities gave various visual demonstrations on the project.
Highlighting the project’s significance, the President noted that it would have a substantial positive socio-economic impact on the lives of the Gambian people, stating that people are already excited about the commencement of works.
“Without roads, there will be no development,” President Barrow added. “We have done over 600 kilometres now. With this, it will be a huge difference as far as infrastructural development is a concern.”
The OIC roads project involves 50 kilometres of 20 new feeder roads and a modern dual carriageway leading from Kairaba Avenue through Bertil Harding Highway to the Airport junction in Yundum. When completed, they will help decongest traffic within the Kanifing Municipality and West Coast Region.
