President Adama Barrow’s speech at the commissioning of the College of Science and Engineering (CoSE)

Honourable Minister of Higher Education, Research, Science and Technology (MoHERST) and all Cabinet Ministers Present,
Members of the Diplomatic and Development Community,
Resident Representative of the World Bank,
Permanent Secretary and Staff of MoHERST,
Vice-Chancellor of USET,
Distinguished Chairperson and Members of the University Council and Senate,
Coordinator of MRC Holland in The Gambia,
Director-General of the Nigerian Technical Aid Corps,
Staff and Students of USET,
The 2025 Graduating Class of Engineers and their proud families,
Distinguished Guests,
Ladies and Gentlemen, Members of the Press,
I feel hugely honoured and privileged to preside over this historic link in our national chain of sustainable development priorities and efforts. The combined commissioning of the College of Science and Engineering (CoSE) Building and the first-ever convocation ceremony of home-grown engineers at the University of Applied Science, Engineering and Technology (USET) make this day spectacularly special.
The occasion represents not only the overwhelming development of our tertiary education sector, but also a new chapter in our ambition to transform The Gambia into a knowledge-driven, technologically empowered, and self-reliant nation.
On the rainy day of 30th July 2022, we converged on this very site, with my late Vice President, His Excellency, Badara Alieu Joof, to lay the foundation stone that has resulted into the erection of this edifice. I remember that event with mixed feelings and pray that the gentle soul of the late Vice President continues to rest in peace, with Janatul Firdaus being its final place of abode.
Ladies and gentlemen, that we are commissioning the edifice under three years after that event resembles a miracle; yet this development unfolded naturally before us all.
We must thus exclusively thank the Almighty God for this success and gratefully heap thanks and praises upon all those who made this occasion the reality it is. Most notable among them is the World Bank for their generous support and foresight. Through the Africa Centres of Excellence initiative and other key programmes, the World Bank continues to be a valued partner in our development journey.
This new campus, equipped with state-of-the-art equipment, materials, tools, furniture, and teaching aids donated by the Bank, is a tangible example of what effective international cooperation can achieve when aligned with national priorities.
Equally, MRC Holland, our reliable and generous donor, has supported us immensely in various ways, and this includes furnishing our campuses. This is one of them, so we cannot thank them enough.
The commissioning of this modern and multipurpose College of Science and Engineering facility will uniquely strengthen our national infrastructure for science and engineering education.
It affirms my government’s commitment to investing in quality, relevant, and accessible education for all Gambians, especially in the critical areas of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM).
I consider the facility another exceptional symbol of hope, opportunity, and progress wherein innovation will surely flourish. Within it, knowledge will be created and shared and young Gambians equipped with the skills necessary to build the future of this country.
With relief, USET now offers services that were sought in other countries. Its numerous benefits will contribute largely to developing our economy and spread outward.
Distinguished Ladies and Gentlemen,
Today marks another remarkable achievement, being the graduation of the first cohort of  engineers trained entirely in The Gambia, with support from staff of the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology.
To the pioneering USET graduates, I proudly express hearty congratulations. You have doubly earned your degrees and made history as flagbearers of this institution. You represent the success of a bold vision and, henceforth, carry the hopes of an independent nation that is unstoppably determined to prosper unhindered.
The knowledge and skills you have acquired at USET will be vital in addressing the many development challenges we face, ranging from infrastructure development and energy provision to climate resilience and digital transformation hitches.
As the first products of USET, we expect you to work and lead with sincerity, think and act critically and constructively, and productively contribute your quota to the nation. The Gambia needs your skills and expertise, and we crave for the creativity and commitment that reside in you.
Let me take this opportunity to reaffirm my government’s dedication to expanding access to higher education and ensuring that it remains relevant to the needs of our economy.
The establishment of USET, the development of CoSE, and the graduation of this cohort of engineers are outcomes of deliberate policy choices and our drive to promote Technical and Vocational Education and Training and the Applied Sciences.
We will continue to support the transformation of USET into a centre of excellence, not for The Gambia alone, but for the region. This will be pursued through sustained investments in infrastructure, capacity building, and research, alongside other avenues.
Let me conclude by re-echoing sincere appreciation to all the contributing agents of the moment and the transformation agenda of USET.
To the World Bank, MRC Holland Foundation, the Government of Nigeria, through the directorate of the technical aid corps who sent eighteen professors, Ph.D. holders, engineers, and entrepreneurs to USET, we register unconditional gratitude.
The leadership and staff of USET and MoHERST, our international partners, and all stakeholders also deserve special mention and commendation. We encourage you to keep up the excellent work.
Further, I advise you, the graduates, not to perceive this achievement as the end of a journey, but a leg in your professional careers and a potential gateway to national prominence in the future.
Ride on your success gallantly, and gallop along with all the vigour, determination, ambition you can muster to serve humanity.
Strive to uplift your families, communities, and the people of our dear nation. Endeavour to have your names ingrained in our history books among the heroic and celebrated patriots of The Gambia. If you succeed in the end, you would have lived a fulfilling life.
Once again, congratulations! May God bless USET, bless the country, and bless us all.