In its efforts to relocate roadside vendors and businesses with minimal disruption ahead of road constructions in the Greater Banjul Area, the Management of The Gambia O.I.C. Secretariat and members of its subcommittee facilitating the road project implementation on Tuesday 16th June 2020 conducted an inspection tour of public reserve lands earmarked for car parks, markets, and other commercial and social amenities in the West Coast Region.
Members of the Road Reserve Committee include the National Road Authority, Ministry of Lands, NAWEC, GAMTEL, NDMA, Kanifing Municipality, Brikama Area Councils, and other stakeholders.
The tour is part of ongoing efforts to smoothly facilitate the relocation of roadside vendors, truckers, motorcar dealers, among others, ahead of the forthcoming road work in the Oicgambia Project Impact Zone, including the Bertil Harding Highway and other strategic routes across the Greater Banjul Area.
The Chief Executive Officer of the Secretariat, Mr. Yankuba Dibba described the exercise as a necessary step to providing support and alternative to all the people and businesses that will be affected.
‘’It will facilitate the coordination and networking necessary to achieve the objective of relocating some of the social services with minimal disruptions to business and social lives’’, CEO Dibba said.
‘’The tour is also a manifestation of the resolve of stakeholders to ensure that key priority projects of the OIC programme are implemented in a timely fashion; thus fulfilling the key development objectives of the National Development Plan’’.
As part of its efforts to prepare the country for the OIC Heads of State Summit in 2022, Oicgmbia has secured funding to construct 20 new urban roads and expand the Bertil Harding Highway into a dual-carriage road of 2 lanes on each side, alongside a pedestrian walkway.
The Head of Brand and Communication, Nfally Fadera said Tuesday’s exercise marks the beginning of a comprehensive programme to consult and cater to the needs of the lives and livelihoods that will be affected by our work.
‘’In the days and weeks to come, we will consult and engage the affected communities in a respectful and courteous manner with the hoping of carrying out our work smoothly. We will not only offer alternative places to relocate them but we will also support in other ways, including providing basic business management and value addition courses.’’