By Arfang M.S. Camara, Communications Officer, NRA
The National Roads Authority (NRA), together with the Ministry of Transport, Works and Infrastructure (MOTWI), on Wednesday, 30th November 2024, continued their routine inspection tour of government-funded ongoing construction road projects to the EPC Lot 3, 4, and the Kiang West Road Projects respectively.
Both the Ministry and NRA entourage, who started the tour last week Saturday in the North Bank Region, through to the Central and Upper River Region, concluded the upcountry tour in the Lower River Region and West Coast Region, respectively.
The NRA and the Ministry bosses started their Wednesday visit at the Lower River Region Lot 3 Kabada Road project. This road is 102kms, and it is contracted to Long Jin Construction (a Chinese company), and Gamecs is the Consultant.
This network of roads for Lot 3 will be implemented in three (3) phases, as follows: –
Phase 1 links: Kwinella – Wellingara – Tabanani – Madina – Nioro – Sare Sajo – Njolfe
Nioro – Sibito – Sare Suna – Kudong Fula Kunda
Share Sajo – Nemakuta
Njolfen – Toranka Bantang – Kolior
Phase 2 links: Njolfen – Madina – Sare Samba – Daru Salam – Kohel – Konkol Kunda – Munkutalla
Phase 3 links: Missira – Sare Musa – Sunbundu – Senoba Jonki
Foroya Fula -Amgalei – Sara Seidy – Buiba – Buiba Mandika
Sasita Medina Alla – Japineh.
Phase 1 is currently under construction, while Phases 2 and 3 are yet to commence. Overall progress is at 22%.
The Kiang West Road Project
This project, which is divided into two (2) phases, is 87km.
Phase 1 is from Kiang Sankandi to Karantaba – 39km, while Phase 2, which starts from Kiang Kenema to Kiang Kemoto is 48km.
Phase 2 comprises several roads connecting to Phase 1.
The Consultant for the project is CityScape Associates, while the Contractor is Gai Construction.
The Contractor is left with 500m of asphalt to complete the entire Phase 1 before moving into the road markings, while in Phase 2, they just started with the sealing of the base material at Kiang Jali after completing the earthworks of around 75%.
The project has overall achieved 90% of work progress in Phase 1, while 72% of the work progressed in Phase 2.
Lot 4 Foni Road Project
The Foni Lot 4 road is 22.53km, and it is divided into four loops: Kalagi – Kamangka – Bondali is 10.2km; Jorem Nema Kunda – Jorem Bunda Kunda is 1.45km; Sangajorr _Dasilami is 5.78km and Kamfenda – Tintinbaa is 5.1km respectively.
The project is contracted to SOMAGEC, and the Consultant is Gamecs.
The Contractor completed 90% of the earthworks and pavement in Kalagi – Kamangka – Bondali road; in Jorem Nema Kunda – Jorem Bunda Kunda, 67.5% of the earthworks completed; while in Sangajorr _Dasilami, 80% of the earthworks completed and 20% of the pavement concluded. But works yet to start Kamfenda – Tintinbaa road.
Overall progress is approximately 22.5%.
Ebrima Sillah, Minister of Transport, Works and Infrastructure (MOTWI), thanked the Gambian leader, Adama Barrow, for expanding his infrastructural development of provincial regions, especially in Kabada.
According to him, Kiang Kabada, which has been neglected since after independence, will soon have a good road infrastructure.
For his part, Sulaymen Sumareh Janneh, Deputy Managing Director of the National Roads Authority (NRA), said these projects are very important, not only to the NRA but to the ministry and, by extension, to President Adama Barrow.
According to him, the NRA will continue working with the Contractors and Consultants to ensure the quality of all the ongoing road projects.