By Makutu Manneh
Even though OIC road contractors have informed President Adama Barrow in early December, 2023 that all roads will be completed by end of December 2023 while others will be finished in April 2024, some roads are still incomplete.
Notwithstanding, President Barrow, after a conducted tour on Saturday, said he is impressed that works are in progress.
It was in a press briefing after the OIC road visit in December, 2023 that the President said, “the construction of the 22km road stretching from the Airport Junction through Bertil Harding Highway to Sting Corner will be completed by December, 2023 while the construction of the 20 roads in the Greater Banjul Area will be finished in April, 2024 but that others can be ready in December 2023.”
“For some of the Greater Banjul roads they were targeted to finish by December, 2023 but overall we are targeting to finish by the end of April, 2024,” the President said last year.
The President also said the consultant and the contractor of the modern dual carriage confirmed that by the end of December, 2023 they will reach Sting Corner but this timeframe has not been met.
Now, after going round the sites again on Saturday, 27th April, 2024, the President said the road projects will be completed before the end of the year, 2024, adding that 80% of the project will be completed by the end of May, and June, 2024.
The OIC road projects involve 50 kilometers of 20 new feeder roads and a modern dual carriage way from Airport Junction in Yundum through Bertil Harding Highway to Sting Corner.
President Barrow said there were a lot of challenges such as relocation of services, right of way and also demolitions but that he thinks they are on track.
The OIC summit is to take place in the country this Saturday 4th and Sunday 5th May, 2024.
