By Olimatou Coker
The Minister of Transport, Works and Infrastructure Ebrima Sillah, has said government’s vision extends beyond ports and airports, but also to the revitalisation of river transport, which he said is crucial for connecting communities and promoting trade along the River Gambia.
“So, I am pleased to announce our ongoing collaboration with the Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC) to revive river transport systems, which will unlock significant economic potential for riverine communities and beyond,” Minister Sillah said Tuesday, at the opening of a public private partnership master class training in project financing.
According to the minister, The Gambia is witnessing an “impressive expansion” of its road infrastructure, anchored on the OIC Roads Project being “progressively implemented” to improve accessibility, reduce travel times, and enhance economic activities.
Sillah said government is also going into “asset recycling” in order to unlock the value of existing infrastructure assets to finance new projects and accelerate development without increasing public debt.
On green infrastructure solutions, Minister Sillah said: “Our focus on sustainable infrastructure also includes the introduction of Green Ferries, with support from the African Development Bank (AfDB). These ferries will reduce carbon emissions and improve transportation efficiency across the River Gambia, supporting our commitment to a greener, more sustainable future”.
According to Minister Sillah, development infrastructure is not just about roads, bridges, and ports but the foundation upon which we build sustainable economic growth and social prosperity.
“In The Gambia, it is important to state that accelerating infrastructure development is at the very heart of our Green Focused National Development Plan (NDP) 2022-2027. The new NDP Program known as YIRIWA, is designed to spur growth, enhance productivity, and foster inclusive development. One of the key pillars of the YIRIWA agenda is to transform the seaport of Banjul into a regional logistics hub through Public-Private Partnerships (PPPs). We are currently exploring opportunities to upgrade and modernise the port’s facilities to boost trade, enhance efficiency, and place The Gambia as a strategic gateway to the sub-region. Government is also at an advanced stage in project preparation and design to build a new deep-sea port in Sanyang in the Kombo South region of Western Gambia that will serve as a game changer and firmly position The Gambia as a logistic hub in the West Africa region,” Sillah stated.
