By Kebba Ansu Manneh
President Adama Barrow of The Gambia has inaugurated a $65million Senegambia Bridge funded by the African Development Bank (ADfB) geared towards the greater interest of African integration, promotion of trade, commerce and business amidst mix feelings among residents, business people, musicians and commuters on December 21, 2019
The Senegambia Bridge which was originally named Trans-Gambia Bridge was first conceived to be built by the government of The Gambia in 1979 but the project never took off from start until 20th February, 2015 when Isatou Njie Saidy former vice president of The Gambia laid the foundation stone for the construction of a 942m long bridge over the Bamba Tenda-Yelli Tenda that links Northern Senegal to the Southern Senegal.
According to the contractors, the bridge it will serve a lifespan of hundred years, disclosing that the bridge will be fixed with a tolled proceed of which will be used by the National Road Authority for maintenance purposes.
“For many years a lot of agricultural produce from both Senegal and The Gambia perish in stranded trucks that waited for their turns to cross the river. Today this ceremony marks the end of such encounters and it brings to an end the suffering and even deaths due to the delays to be ferried across,” President Barrow reveals the difficult conditions encountered by commuters daily to move from one end of the river to another as reasons for the construction of the Senegambia Bridge.
President Barrow’s positions was also shared by Gambia’s king of Kora Player, Jaliba Kuyateh who also frequent this crossing point to perform in different parts of the country said; “I feel very happy today, the bridge is an important belt between The Gambia and Senegal. People have been waiting for weeks on either banks to have access to cross so now this is history because within three minutes now you can cross from one end to another.”
The Kora Maestro who recently released a song about the bridge said, he felt it incumbent upon self to release such song as an oral translator, adding that the Senegambia Bridge is a big pride not only to The Gambia but equally Senegal.
“Well I know the future is very bright for this country because there are a lot of developments that are on the way coming.
Our biggest challenge is the Banjul-Barra crossing and that is also coming up very soon and I think before Adama says bye to us everything will be done,” Jaliba Kuyateh expresses his joy to the construction of the Senegambia Bridge.
Jaliba admitted that, the relations between Banjul and Dakar has experience difficult moments due largely to the inconsistency of the former president Yahya Jammeh, adding that he does not foresee such a bad relationship between the two countries any more.
He said Gambia and Senegal has now joined hands to move the two countries forward.
Muhammed Wurry Jallow, is a Guinean national residing in the country since 1987 who is operating a shop at the Yelli Tenda crossing point said the advent of the bridge has almost ruin his entire business without any form of compensation from Gambian authorities, adding that two of his shops have been bulldozed by the authorities without a dime received from the local area council.
“I have been working here since 1987 and built up all my family here, however, I must express my disappointment as to how we have been treated by the local authorities. I use to have three shops here but I already loss two but am yet to receive any compensation even though I have make several attempts to get a compensation to no avail,” Jallow disclosed his frustration to the way matters are been handled by the Mansakonko Area Council.
Jallow’s view has been collaborated by Aja Jallow and Pateh Marr both shop owners at the Yelli Tenda crossing point, they disclosed to this reporter that about 90% of shop owners whose shops have been bulldozed due to the ongoing works are yet to receive their compensation from the Mansakonko Area Council.
They revealed that many of the original owners of the shops at either side of the river has long left or sold their shops out, noting that Council is reluctant in compensating people who are currently occupying these shops even though they bought those shops from their original owners.
The duo appeal to The Gambian authorities to look into their concerns, noting that most of the people affected are Guinean nationals who bought shops at the river crossing.
Kumba Nyang, a native of Kafrin in Northern Senegal is a business woman who has been criss-crossing the two countries and the Bamba Tenda-Yelli Tenda crossing said she is extremely happy for the inauguration of Senegambia Bridge, while harping praises on president Adama Barrow and Macky Sall of Senegal for such a laudable initiative undertaken.
“I have been using this crossing points for 15years now doing business but sometimes I used to sleep here either due to long queue or break down of the ferries. Am grateful to our heads of states for initiating this project as am convince that our passed experience will never repeats itself,” Madam Nyang expressed her deep feelings about the inauguration of the Senegambia Bridge
