The National Roads Authority (NRA), on Wednesday 6 May 2026, held a community sensitisation meeting in Ebo Town ahead of the implementation of an underground water (dewatering) project in the area.

The meeting, attended by community leaders and residents, was organised in collaboration with Youth and Sports Minister Bakary Badjie, a native of Ebo Town. It aimed to inform residents about the project and its expected benefits.

Speaking after the meeting, NRA Managing Director Sulayman Sumareh Janneh said persistent underground water in Ebo Town has been damaging roads and affecting homes in the community.

He explained that hydraulic pressure from the underground water has been lifting newly constructed roads, prompting the NRA to launch the dewatering initiative instead of continuing road repairs without addressing the root cause.

According to him, the project is designed to lower and control the water table through a scientific drainage and filtration system that will channel excess water to a designated collection point.

Janneh described the initiative as a long-term intervention and said, if successful, it could serve as a model for tackling underground water challenges in other parts of The Gambia.

Minister Bakary Badjie welcomed the project, saying residents of Ebo Town have struggled with water inundation for decades during both rainy and dry seasons.

He said the project would help improve living conditions by reducing flooding in homes and compounds, while also protecting infrastructure in the area.

Yakumba Houma, Project Manager for Coastal Engineering, the contractor executing the works, described the initiative as a pilot project aimed at reducing the high-water table in Ebo Town.

She said the project involves excavating ponds to collect underground water before pumping it through a drainage system into nearby swamps.

Residents at the meeting also expressed relief and appreciation for the project, saying the underground water problem has affected their lives for many years.

Coastal Engineering is executing the project under the supervision of the NRA.