NRA, Works Ministry begin nationwide inspection tour of ongoing projects

The National Roads Authority (NRA)is accompanying the Minister of Transport, Works, and Infrastructure (MOTWI), on a nationwide routine inspection tour of all ongoing road construction projects, which started on Saturday 25th January 2025.

The visit is organised by the Hon Minister of Transport, Works, and Infrastructure projects, to gather first-hand information and assess the progress registered so far.

The delegation started the tour on the OIC 50km Lot 1&2 road projects within the Greater Banjul Area.

The OIC 50km roads Lot 1&2 have sidewalks, drainage, and streetlights. Lot 1 road is contracted to SSTP, CSE JV, and Al Fahd JV, and the Consultants are PACE and GAMECS, while the Lot 2 roads are contracted to Pavi Ford, Gambisara Enterprise, and Huta JV, respectively, and the consultants are the same as Lot 1.

The Ministry and NRA entourage visited P2- Kanifing Hospital- Bertil Harding (Methodist)- Estate Road 1.01km. This project achieved 99% percent of completion. Asphalt, drainage, sidewalks and the installation of the streetlights are all completed except the traffic signs.

P16 – Kanifing Hospital-GTMI Road is 0.75km. This road has achieved 99% percent completion, remaining only the traffic signs.

P19 – Kairaba Avenue (former IEC) – Banjul/Serrekunda Highway (GTTI) road 1.96km. This project has achieved 90% percent of completion. Some sections of sidewalks, drain covers, and installation of the solar traffic lights poles are the only things remaining.

P1- GPPC- New Jeshwang (Gacem Junction)- Jokor Junction road 2.56km. This road project achieved 85% percent of progress, the only thing remaining is the covering of drainage, sidewalks, and traffic lights as well as road marking.

achieved

P15- Bundung Highway 2.68km. This road which achieved 99% percent of completion, now requires some removal of drainage covers and traffic signs.

P5 – Sukuta- Latrikunda Sabiji Road 3.36km. This road, which is currently on asphalt, has now achieved 50% of progress.

P13- Sukuta Health Centre- Kololi/Senegambia Road Intersection 3.25km. This project is currently on priming and has achieved 35% of progress.

Lot 2 Roads

P6- Kololi Tavern- Bijilo- Brufut road 8.60km. These roads are divided into three sections, Brufut achieved 95%, Bijilo achieved 87% and Kololi 15%, respectively. According to the Consultant, the slowness of work in Kololi is due to the relocation of services.

P9- Sukuta- Wullingkama-Brufut-Ghana road 8.35km. This project is divided into three sections, achieving 75% per cent. The road is left with drainage, drainage covers, sidewalks, a subbase and base in the other section and the streetlight foundation.

P7- Touba Sanchaba Road- Kerr Serign- Sukuta Camping road 1.93km. This road is 55% of progress.

Speaking after the visits, Hon. Ebrima Sillah, Minister of Transport, Works, and Infrastructure (MOTWI), said one of the reasons the government initiated these constructions is to connect different communities within the Greater Banjul Area, to make transportation much easier and to give access to basic services.

“As a result, proper studies have been conducted to look at the communities that are mostly affected in terms of access to facilities and are strategically located within the Greater Banjul Area to ensure that they serve as feeders in the major Highways in the Greater Banjul Area,” Minister Sillah said.

Ousman Sanyang, Managing Director of the National Roads Authority (NRA), said the 50km OIC roads (Lot 1&2) have been quite challenging due to certain factors such as demolition and relocation of services, amongst others.

According to him, the ongoing projects have now been shifted into sections to reduce the burden on citizens to minimise the impact on people’s lives.

He added that shifting the road projects into sections is really helping in terms of the progress registered compared to before.

Director Sanyang revealed that based on the ongoing work progress, they are confident that all the roads will be completed and delivered by March 2025.

According to the consultant for both Lots, the overall progress for Lot 1 is 65%, adding that they are anticipating completing the work around March 2025.