By: Fatou Krubally
The Ministry of Transport, Works and Infrastructure (MOTWI) has dismissed claims of the Auditor General that indicated a D377 million discrepancy in the North Bank Region (NBR) roads contract, describing the reports as “grossly misleading and patently false.”
In a press release issued on 6th October 2025, the Ministry clarified that the alleged discrepancy was either a misreporting or deliberate omission by the Auditor General, emphasizing that all relevant facts and documents were submitted to auditors during the review process.
The Ministry outlined that in October 2020, it signed a contract with Areski Company to construct 38km of roads in the North Bank Region over 16 months. An additional 16.5km was later added through Addendum Number 1, signed on 16th February 2022. According to the Ministry, the D377 million flagged by the Auditor General was legitimately spent as part of this addendum.
The Ministry also refuted claims that the Kiang West Roads Project contract was awarded without approval from the Gambia Public Procurement Authority (GPPA). The Ministry confirmed that GPPA approved the award of the 87km Kiang West road contract in a letter referenced GPPA/NRA/TR 2/21/(2)/(B.S) dated 1st November 2021, raising no objections.
The Ministry urged the public to ignore reports suggesting discrepancies in the North Bank Roads Project and alleged procurement irregularities in Kiang West, describing them as inaccurate and baseless.
The statement added that the Ministry reaffirmed its commitment to delivering critical infrastructure projects across the country in line with its core mandate, emphasizing transparency and accountability in all road construction projects.