By Tabora Bojang
The student union of the University of the Gambia has decried what it calls “persistent transportation challenges” its members face daily trying to get to Faraba campus.
In a statement yesterday, the Union expressed deep concern over complaints that many students get stranded every day and missing their lectures due to insufficiency of buses, especially on Saturdays.
The Union claimed that though the Ministry of Higher Education, Research, Science, and Technology (MoHERST) and the Gambia Transport Service Company (GTSC) had an agreement for the deployment of 20 buses to Faraba each school day it has been discovered that only 15 buses are actually available.
The Union added that despite a very recent meeting with the GTSC this month, during which assurances were given that the full fleet of 20 buses will be provided, the transport company subsequently rescinded its decision saying it can only supply 15 buses, ”because of considerable losses in operating the Faraba route and that MoHERST owe them huge arrears.”
The Union said it is frustrated by this situation but will continue to engage the concerned authorities to address the matter.
Contacted about this matter, the minister of higher education Professor Gomez denied that the issue of arrears is the reason preventing GTSC from deploying more buses.
“My Ministry and that of Finance had engagements with the General Manager of the GTSC where the existence of arrears was acknowledged and an agreement for resettlement was reached to which the GM gave his full support. So, there is no problem at all from the GM. He is doing his best,” Minister Gomez added.
The minister said last year alone, government paid D33 million for UTG buses alone, far more than what it pays for those in primary and junior secondary schools. He stressed that the bus service is not a right but a privilege, and by next semester, they are going to review the fares. “Where in this country will you pay transport from Kanifing to Faraba or from Westfield to Faraba for just D10? That is not sustainable,” the minster said.
He said the issue of arrears owed to GTSC has nothing to do with what they are claiming. “Whether we owe them or not, GTSC has enough buses to run the show and if they have challenges, they will tell them [UTG] and they will fix it. We stand for justice and righteousness but we will not allow ourselves to succumb. Just imagine D33 million just for bus transportation? And this was not allocated in the budget. It is not sustainable. Some people want to capitalise on the USET strike to do similar things but we have made it clear to them that we will not increase any buses,” Minister Gomez stated.
He also clarified that some of the issues happening at the University are procedural and operational not necessarily his Ministry’s as they are mandated with policy matters.
