By Omar Bah
The Gambia Ports Authority yesterday confirmed it has reached a compensation agreement with the Banjul Muslim Elders and the Bakau Village Development Committee over issues dealing with the port expansion project.
The much anticipated project, which will require some residents of Half-Die to cede their houses and be relocated to Bakau to create more space for the operations of the only seaport in the country, was halted following GPA’s failure to reach an agreement with the people of Bakau and the Banjul Muslim Elders for the relocation of Muslim Senior Secondary School.
However yesterday, the GPA said successful negotiations with the community of Bakau and the VDC have resulted in an agreement whereby part of the Katchically Layout will be ceded for the relocation of the Half-Die residents.
“The Half-Die residents close to the port premises whose properties have been acquired for the port expansion could now vacate the acquired area to allow for the construction of a new container terminal as one of the urgent components of the project,” the GPA said in a statement.
The GPA also explained that it has also reached an agreement with the Banjul Muslim Elders and the Board of Governors of Muslim Senior Secondary School for the acquisition of the school premises and its relocation to “a new place in Brusubi”.
The GPA said all these are part of the port expansion project as identified in the port master plan 2019-2038.
“The acquisition of these areas and their conversion into container terminals will contribute in alleviating the space constraints, improve port performance and help reduce the congestion being experienced,” the GPA statement said.
The Ports management expressed delight with the patriotism demonstrated by the Bakau Community, VDC, Alkalo and traditional owners of the Katchically Layout for helping national development. “Equally, our sincere appreciation goes to the Banjul Muslim Association, MoBSE and the Board of Governors of Muslim Senior Secondary School for their cooperation during the entire process of negotiations,” the statement concluded.
Read the full report on the port expansion project tomorrow
