Alhagie Shering Fallou Mendee, Managing Director of Lerr Group Construction Company has confirmed that no work has started at the proposed Arafat Eco-Lodge and Nyanga Bantang Eco-Lodge.
The two Arafat Eco-Lodge and Nyanga Bantang Eco-Lodge are part of ninety seven million dalasi (D97million) Gambia Government five (5) Eco-lodges project that was awarded to Lerr Group in March, 2020, earmarked for creating jobs and employment opportunities for rural Gambians thus mitigating rural-urban drift and irregular migration.
Speaking to The Voice Newspaper on Monday, Managing Director of Lerr Group, Alhagie Shering Mendee confirmed that the two Eco-Lodges are yet to kick-off, adding that the two Eco-Lodges are earmarked to be part of the phase two of the project that is expected to start immediately the first phase of the project is completed.
Lerr Group Managing Director continued to disclose that the designs of the two projects have not also been submitted to his company, adding that efforts are on-going to complete the designing of the projects so that work can start at the sites effectively.
Mendee also revealed to this medium that the initial agreement that pegged the completion of the contract duration to nine (9) months have been amended in a bid to allow Lerr Group to complete the on-going projects, adding that he was not in position to confirm when the new extension date for the start and completion of the project.
In quest to confirm whether the Eco-Lodges are to be constructed in phases as they are part of the D97million eco-lodges project signed for implementation, Lerr Managing Director maintained that the projects has been designed in phases that accord his company to implement the two Eco-Lodges in its second phase of the D97million project.
However, this medium can confirmed that construction works have since stopped at Barra, Kunkilling and Sotuma Samba Koi ecolodges, while Arafat, in Lower Saloum District and Nyanga Bantang, in Upper Saloum District are yet to kick-off.
Last year Mende revealed to this medium that Lerr Group has presented a request to Gambia Tourism Board to adjust funding for the projects, arguing that Covid-19 has created room for inflation of prices that hard hit the progress of the company. At the time he said, works will start once GTBoard respond to the request.