State House Banjul The Gambia-President Adama Barrow has unveiled to the people of Niumi in the North Bank Region that the all-important Hakalong road – the only highway that connects most of Upper Niumi to the rest of the region will be launched in a few weeks’ time, alongside $66 million electricity project for the surrounding communities. He revealed the news while on the first leg of his nationwide tour in the North Bank Region. The President highlighted the numerous development projects that his government is rolling out to Gambians to improve lives and livelihoods. In response to farmers at the various meeting grounds, President Barrow revealed that the government is about to sign a contract that will enable farmers to have access to fertilizer as early as April. He stated that the fertilizer will be made available at a government-subsidized price of D700, while the market price is D1700. That means that the state pays D1000 per bag. In three years, he told the gathering, his government has constructed more than 400km of roads, compared to the 700km of roads built by the two past governments since independence. The recurrent message in all the communities the President visited was the need for Gambians to nurture peace and security in the country as well as support his development agenda to deliver the Gambia that everyone deserves. The cabinet ministers took turns to reveal to the people key intervention areas of the government. In the area of education, the minister disclosed that the government has constructed more than one thousand classrooms, in addition to hundreds of staff quarters, and other incentives to improve the quality of education. To cater to the financial needs of women and increase access to credit facilities, the Minister for Women revealed that the government has secured a EUR3million contribution from the European Union, and a GMD12 million Gambia government-funded Women Empowerment Fund project will soon open applications for women to apply with little interest.
