By Binta Jaiteh
Opposition members have reacted to the controversial Senegambia Bridge Mortgaging, an agreement between the Government of The Gambia signed with Africa50 amounting to $100 million.
In an interview with Hon Madi Ceesay, a National Assembly member for Serrekunda West said “I am vehemently against the idea of the government going ahead to mortgage the Senegambia Bridge. It means that they are telling the citizens that we are not efficient to handle the bridge. This is a disgrace and a slap to the Gambians.”
He noted that the bridge has caused a lot of money to the Gambians and therefore the management of that bridge should not be given to any organization or institution.
He emphasised that it is a disgrace that the government is thinking in this way and it shows complete failure and is evidence of prove that they are inefficient to manage the affairs of the bridge, and “if you cannot manage the affairs of the bridge where millions have been spent then what message are you sending to the people.”
However, he said this government should manage the bridge and not give it to any organization, and the resources generated from the bridge should be properly managed and plowed back to national development.
“As far as I know, the committee responsible will summon the two Ministers to parliament and they will be taken to task to convince the assembly why they are mortgaging the bridge,” he said.
Ebrima Tabora Manneh, Secretary of the People’s Alliance party in an audio message obtained by The Voice said with regards to this agreement the government didn’t consult the citizens, “This is very sad because you can see these people are selling our country without seeing the interest of the future but rather individual interest.”
He said Gambia’s prime asset should not be sold to foreigners, “they said this bridge is a grant the people have the right to know how much they are collecting from the bridge and what will benefit the people after the collection.”
According to him, the importance of this bridge is that the bridge is in a strategic location and it is good for the Gambians because is between Farafenni and Soma, and also it connects the Northern and Southern Senegal but it is under our control.
