By Kebba Ansu Manneh
Over fifty million dalasi (D50million) new headquarter building meant for Gambia Tourism Board (GTBoard) and Ministry of Tourism and Culture is currently under construction and at an advance stage, The Voice Newspaper can authoritatively report.
The new building has been at the centre of controversy between GTBoard, Ministry of Tourism and Culture and Construct Limited, a local construction company that was contracted to build a headquarter for the tourism board.
However in 2017, shortly after assuming office, Honorable Hamat N.K Bah disapproved the idea of sharing the same building with Tropics Shopping Mall that formerly proposed as headquarter for the GTBoard and Ministry of Tourism and Culture.
Minister Hamat N.K Bah renewed his position over the former proposed place at a recently held press conference held at the Ministry of Tourism and Culture, where he said the current leadership at the Gambia Tourism Board has renegotiated its agreement with the Construct Limited, disclosing that a new site has been identified different from the Tropics Shopping Mall and is currently under construction.
The Voice over the weekend visited the new GTBoard and Ministry of Tourism and Culture Headquarter building along the Berthil Harding Highway, where it found numerous labourers and other technicians working at the construction site.
One among the workers who preferred being addressed as anonymous told this reporter that the three storey building is expected to complete within three months, adding that the delay in construction can partly be blamed on the tourism authorities who were late to identify a site.
According to him, it was unfortunate that Construct Limited falls into this situation, arguing that over thirty years the company has been reliably executing contracts and agreements without any hindrance.
He said the proprietor of Construct Limited, Fara Shams has been very cooperative with the Gambia Tourism Board and has fully obeyed the request of the authorities in building a new headquarter that is far more expensive than what was spent on the Tropics Shopping Mall.
According to him, the new building including a security post and parking lot will cost Construct Limited more than fifty million (D50million), adding Construct Limited is unilaterally sponsoring the three storey building in a bid to fulfill its part of the contract.
“I can assure you that in less than six month this building will be fully ready for use. In fact, by now both the GTBoard and the Ministry of Tourism and Culture should have been here but there was a delay in identifying this place,” the anonymous staff of Construct Limited told this reporter.
Abubacarr Camara, Director General of Gambia Tourism Board was contacted to shed light on the development and has also confirmed the progressive stage of the new headquarter building.
The GTBoard Director General agreed that the Honourable Minister for Tourism and Culture has a point by asking the then management of Gambia Tourism Board to renegotiate the contract with Construct Ltd, disclosing that it was not really a good idea to house the GTBoard in a shopping mall.
DG Camara also acknowledged the cooperation of Construct Limited regarding the renegotiation of the agreement that gives ways for the tourism authorities to be housed in the Tropics Shopping Mall.
“When I took over, in the beginning they (Construct Ltd) were almost dragging their feet with the pretext of the Covid-9 pandemic. However, with support from my Ministry and my able Board of Directors, they realized that we really meant business and sooner they build our office the better for them.
“Thus, here we are now and within a couple of months our new state of the art office building will soon be completed,” Abubacarr Camara, DG GTBoard said. Added, “I can confidently say indeed the management (Construct Ltd) is very cooperative. The work is progressing and soon it will be completed.”
Last month Fara Shams, Managing Director of Construct Limited also confirmed to this reporter that the Scuffle between his Company and GTBoard has been settled, disclosing that a new site has been identified and construction is in advance stage. He added that the new headquarter under construction is fully sponsored by Construct Limited, while GTBoard has only provided the land for the construction.
