By Lamin Fatty
President Adama Barrow has tasked the contractors for Basse market to expedite the ongoing work as he intends to inaugurate the new market before the presidential election slated for 4th December 2021.
President Barrow made this call on Saturday 4th September 2021 during his visit to the newly constructed Basse market, while on a conducted tour of the market complex. The Giggo Construction Company, the market contractors, informed the President that the second phase of the construction just started.
“We have already started the second phase of constructing 62 additional shops as the authorities felt that the previous 187 shops constructed are not enough but these 62, when completed, [will be] 249 shops totally,” the contractor said.
President Barrow asked the contractor how long it will take for the completion of the second phase.
“We are actually anticipating the next two months, which means by the end of October it will be done,” the contractor replied.
President Barrow said: “We are looking towards inaugurating this market before the election. That is our target and I am really encouraging you to extend your period of hours you work so that the market can be completed in time; because the vendors and those, who were using this market before, are squatting somewhere as they are all eager to come back.”
President Barrow said the ‘priority is the people’ who were affected and they are going to start the allocation of the canteen with those who were affected by the fire incident.
“The government would be part of the selection to make sure that the process is fair and transparent. We felt that there is a need for the second phase because the shops are not enough and even the second phase may not be enough,” he said.
