President Barrow revealed that he has signed a provisional approval to commence construction works in Banjul. He said a contractor has been identified to construct roads, sewage and drainage systems of the capital city in earnest.
The President made the revelation in a meeting with a group of Banjul residents named, “Benno Jappaleh Barrow” (united to support Barrow), that call on him at the State House on Thursday. The group said they appreciate the commitment that President Barrow has shown towards the development of Banjul and they are united to give him the support he needs.
The president thanked them for the initiative and assured them that Banjul is high on his national development plans. “In the 2016 Presidential elections, I did not win in my constituency of birth but I did win in Banjul where I grew as a youth,” he told the gathering.
He said there are plans to create alternative jobs for the youths of the city since there are no arable lands for farming and agricultural. He cited the imminent construction of a dry port on Bond Road, which would create between 900 and 1,000 jobs for young people.
Maimuna Suwareh, a female delegate of the group, lamented that the youths in Banjul have been facing challenging times acquiring jobs in Banjul since the end of the First Republic. She opined that such facilities as skill centers would serve as vital projects for them.
Mr. Badou Njie, who went to the same school with the President in Banjul, recalled the peaceful and kind nature of the young Adama Barrow. He expressed optimism in the ability of President Barrow to take the development of Banjul to unprecedented levels. However, he lamented that most social and economic facilities of the city are at a standstill.
