At least five people have been confirmed dead and several others wounded in a fatal car accident when a military truck collided with a 32-passenger ‘Gele Gele’ along the Kombo Coastal road yesterday.

The victims, according to reports gathered, included one soldier Private Abba Sanyang and four civilians whose names could not be ascertained at the time of going to press.

The incident is said to have happened around 10’o clock in the morning when the Gele Gele with registration number BJL 3809 A coming from Brikama collided with the Military-truck GNA 101 heading towards Brikama.

According to eyewitnesses, the accident happened when the two vehicles rammed into each other, killing five people on the spot. An unconfirmed number of people who were said to be onboard the vehicles are reported to be in critical condition.

It could be recalled that earlier this year in a road accident between the villages of Serrekundanding and Kembujeh in Kombo East District of Western Region ten people were killed, eight of whom died on the spot when a truck veered into a crowd of APRC supporters forming part of a campaign trail.

Villagers in Sukuta in Kombo North, Western Region, have expressed concern over the condition of the road between Sukuta and Serekunda. Speaking to The Point, Babacarr Cham, a native of Sukuta, said that many vehicles in Kombo use the

He said that even to go to Serekunda is a problem because most of the vehicles in the area are avoiding the Sukuta road because of it condition.

He finally appealed to government to support the people of Sukuta.

For his part, Lamin Bojang expressed his concern over the bad condition of the road. He said that President Jammeh has done well in bringing development to The Gambia and appealed to the government to address the road condition.

The rehabilitation of Westfield/Sukuta road project, one of the busiest road in the country, was recently ratified by the National Assembly to the tune of D7.5m but unfortunately, much is yet to be done.

According to reports, the joint sessions of the Public Accounts and Enterprises committees of the National Assembly have expressed grave concern as to the delay in the implementation of the project.

Road construction, which has been seen by many as a priority for the government, is reported to have cost the government a total amount of US$82m for the past ten years.

The report also highlighted concern over the appointment of external auditors by the Gambia Agency for the Management of Public Works (GAMWORKS) without the knowledge of the auditor general, high budget deficit among others.

It however commended the Agency for the Basse mini stadium, water supply problems addressed in Garawol and Demba Kunda all in the Upper River Region and Kaur market in the Central River Region.

It could be recalled the Secretary of State for Works, Construction and Infrastructure, Lamin Bojang, recently gave a break down to the National Assembly as to the cost and sources of funding of the roads constructed for the past ten years.

According to the Works, Constructing and Infrastructure Secy, the Kombo Coastal Road project, Essau-Kerewan, Farafenni-Laminkoto, Kerewan Farafenni, and Serrekunda Mandinaba roads, which were all constructed in the past ten years cost the government a tune of US$82m.

Concerns have been raised by the general public regarding the poor state of roads not only within the Greater Banjul Area but also some parts of the rural areas. There is no denying that this is making life extremely difficult for many and we are saying something should be done to address what many describe as an unfortunate situation.

Recently one Alan Walkley, a British citizen residing in Jambur, in Kombo South, Western Region, expounded that the main road between Jambur and Farato is so terrible that the village is virtually cut off from the rest of the country. “There are too many holes and too much water. During the last rainy season, we had two commercial vehicles running in the village but this year, we have none due to the poor conditions of roads,” he said. Of course this is a very sad situation. And we are in harmony with Sheriff Ceesay, also a resident of Jambur who stated, “that government through the area councils should act now before things get worse.”

They indicated that women of the village who go to the market every day have to walk several miles as the children also do when going to school. People going to work have to walk in the rain and through deep waters and mud and even worse. What a pitiable, unfortunate situation.

We reiterate that every effort should be employed in putting our roads in good state with all possible haste.

Residents of Jambur village in Kombo South, Western Region, have expressed serious concern over the poor state of some roads in the area notably those linking Jambur with surrounding villages.

Access to proper road network, which has now become a major concern in all corners of our society, especially during the rainy season, has in current times become a topical issue in all corners of the country.

Despite government’s erection of streetlights and rehabilitation of some roads, many still are of the view that there is still need for the authorities to boost efforts in putting our roads in good state.

According to one Alan Walkley, a British citizen resident in Jambur, the main road between Jambur and Farato is so terrible that the village is virtually cut off from the rest of the country. “There are too many holes and too much water. During the last rainy season, we had two commercial vehicles running in the village but this year, we have none due to the poor conditions of roads,” he said.

For Mr. Walkley, the current situation is making life extremely difficult for the residents of the village and called on government through the area councils to act now before things get worse.

“The women of the village who go to the market every day have to walk several miles as the children also do when going to school. People going to work have to walk in the rain and through deep waters and mud and, even worse, people are dying because there is no transport to take them to hospital for treatment”, he added.

He went on to call on all and sundry to come to their aid so as to help the people of Jambur live a reasonable live.

As Rainy Season Progresses

PWith the increase in the amount of rainfall in recent times and the effect the downpours have had on the existing road network, the general public has once more reiterated its concern with the dilapidated state of most of the roads not only within the Greater Banjul Area but also some parts of the rural area, calling on government to take urgent measures to curb what many describe as a deteriorating situation.

In an opinion poll carried out by this paper, many people, drivers likewise commuters, expressed grave concern over the condition of roads, particularly the Westfield-Sukuta stretch, Serrekunda-Senegambia and Tabokoto-Coastal Road stretches.

“Access to proper road network has now become a major concern in all corners of our society as we now enter into the rainy season. This is making life extremely difficult for us and I think government through the Area Councils should act now before things get worse,” said one Sheriff Ceesay, a resident of Serrekunda Sayerr Jobe Avenue.

According to Alfusainey Jammeh, despite the fact that government has done well by erecting street lights and rehabilitating some roads, there is still need for the authorities to intensify efforts to rehabilitate and construct roads. This, he added, would do well for the country and her citizens.

“We’ve just celebrated the 14th anniversary of the July 22ndRevolution and, according to many, the day is a moment of reflection on the achievements and shortcomings of the government of the day. This, I hope, has been done because without that, they would not know what their shortcomings are and I believe there is a lot that needs to be done regarding road construction and rehabilitation in this country,” said one Ndey Darboe, a native of Jarra currently residing in Tabokoto.

For one Alhagie Barry of Ebo Town, the councils should distinguish themselves by addressing peoples’ immediate concerns and needs instead of making bogus promises, noting that they owe obligations to the tax payers.

“The current situation of our roads in this area is indeed a matter of grave concern. The situation is such that it appears that councils are not taking any measures to address the bottlenecks in their respective areas,” he asserted.

“Taking a stroll along the Tabokoto-Coastal road highway, Westfield-Sukuta stretch, Manjai-Kotu highway, Bundung-Serrekunda highway and some parts of Ebo Town, one cannot help but admit how dilapidated our roads are. This is not in any way helpful to the people,” said one Omar Saho, a student at Gambia College.

“The condition of the Tabokoto-Coastal road has left us with no other option but to abandon the road completely because it is impassable especially when it rains. The only thing we have to do now is to look for the few good roads there remain and try to ply those for our business,” Cherno Baldeh, a taxi driver, said.

It is noteworthy that the National Assembly has approved the construction of the Westfield-Sukuta road project sometime ago at the tune of D7.5m and Kanifing Municipal Council (KMC) also presented a cheque to Gamworks for their counterpart contribution towards the construction of Kayupa Road in Churchills Town but the strange thing is that not much has been done to these effects ever since.

A heavy downpour at the weekend has destroyed some feeder roads linking villages in Nianija District.

The incident has rendered roads in the villages of Sankulay, Jailang, Batty, Bakadagie and Nyanga Bantang impassable, thus making it difficult for many people, most especially farmers, to access their farms.

According to many people who spoke to The Point, the situation has left them in a very worrying condition, taking into consideration that rice cultivation is the major business of the people of the district.

“If we are unable to reach our farms due to this condition, then means survival will be a very big problem for us here. The situation is even made worse by the fact that Nianija is a district that is far from the main highway that goes through the country,” said some of the villagers.

In a different but related incident, reports from Upper Saloum District in the Central River Region indicated that the district also had a similar incident.

Many people have also expressed concern that the situation in the area has made it extremely difficult for inter-village movement within the district.

All Gambians who use the various roads which have been constructed and repaired over the last ten years will no doubt appreciate governments efforts in this regard.

It is an undeniable fact that the Government of the Gambia has for the past years concentrated her efforts in constructing roads across the country. The Kombo Coastal road, Farafenni-Laminkoto and Serrekunda-Mandinaba are a clear testimony of these efforts.

However, the Secretary of State for Works, Construction and Infrastructure, Lamin Bojang, on Monday gave a break down of the cost and sources of funding of the roads constructed for the past 10 years, which amounted to US$82m.

Responding to a question raised by Hon. Sidia Jatta, Member for Wuli West, as to the roads that have been constructed for the past 10 years, their cost and sources of funding, Secy. Lamin Bojang said the Essau-Kerewan road project, a 51 Kilometre stretch funded the Republic of China on Taiwan and the Gambia Government cost US$7.2m.

According to the Works, Construction and Infrastructure Secy, the Kombo Coastal road project, a 168 Kilometre stretch funded by the Kuwaiti Fund, BADEA and The Gambia Government cost a total amount of US$14.6m.

He also revealed that the Farafenni-Laminkoto road project, a 115 Kilometre stretch funded by the Kuwaiti Fund, Opec Fund and The Gambia Government cost US$25.0m.

“The Kerewan-Farafenni road project, a 59 Kilometre stretch sponsored by International Development Bank IDB and the Government of the Gambia cost a total amount of US$18.5m while the Serrekunda-Mandinaba road project, a 28 Kilometre stretch sponsored by IDB and The Gambia Government cost US$16.7m”, he revealed.

On the total number of feeder roads constructed and completed from 2006-08, Secy. Bojang said between the year under review, three major feeder roads were constructed in the Western Region to boost standard.

For Secy. Bojang, a feeder road programme is being prepared to give a nation-wide coverage to the effect. The programme, he added, has been submitted to the EU for their consideration to fund.

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