By: Kemo Kanyi
President Adama Barrow has expressed concern, regarding the pace of the on-going construction works at the University of The Gambia Faraba Bantang Campus, indicating that the progress of the works did not meet his expectations.
The President laid the foundation stone for the second phase of the University of The Gambia Development Project on 2 March 2024. The project comprised the construction of the chancery building, the School of Agriculture and Environment, and the Faculty of Law and Associate External Services and contract for its implementation was awarded to Shapoorji Pallonji Mideast Construction Company.
Following an inspection of the project site and a close-door meeting with the contracting team, the President addressed the media, candidly stating that the current pace of the project’s implementation fell short of meeting the timeline. He expressed optimism that the discussions with the contractor and the consultant would yield constructive outcomes moving forward.
“In my office, I had a vision of what this project would entail, yet that vision is not reflected in the current progress,” the President observed. He acknowledged that the project is significantly behind schedule, as its completion was targeted to coincide with the Independence Day celebrations. He indicated that the contractor and the consultant are expected to present a realistic revised work-plan in a scheduled meeting on Friday to establish an achievable timeline for project completion.
The President also noted that while other facilities within the project are approximately 90% complete, the chancery building is experiencing delays. He, however, expressed confidence that the project could be delivered by the end of the year.
The President emphasized that the contracted company possesses the capability to accelerate their efforts. He urged them to enhance their productivity to ensure that the project is completed promptly to enable UTG to accommodate a greater number of students in the faculty of agriculture and law.
“We are not undertaking this project solely for immediate gains; we must consider its long-term implications. I conveyed to them the necessity of adopting a forward-thinking approach. Historically, our development strategies have been somewhat myopic, failing to adequately account for future needs,” stated the President.
