By Fatou Krubally & Haddy Touray
President Adama Barrow Saturday inaugurated the 12-kilometre Brufut–Madiana–Bayaka–Kunkujang Mariama–Tujereng Road, describing it as the fulfillment of a government development pledge.
The president was quick to call the development as a key component of government’s Recovery-Focused National Development Plan 2023–2027 (“Yiriwa”).
Barrow says the road represents a “corridor of opportunity” designed to connect communities to services, businesses and the wider national economy.
“This road is a corridor of opportunity, constructed to connect families to institutions, facilities, services, businesses, and communities,” he said, noting that residents along the corridor had endured years of hardship.
He adds that the Yiriwa agenda aims to translate development plans into tangible outcomes for citizens across the country. “Development must be seen and felt in the daily lives of the people. It must not be mere theory or rhetoric,” he said.
The president said the project was fully funded by the Government of The Gambia, describing it as a demonstration of national ownership and commitment to infrastructure development, while reaffirming continued cooperation with development partners.
Barrow said improved road infrastructure would reduce transport costs, ease mobility, strengthen local economies and improve access to basic services. He urged road users to respect traffic regulations, stressing the importance of road safety.
He commended the Ministry of Transport, Works and Infrastructure, the National Roads Authority (NRA), SSTP Construction Company and supervising engineers for delivering the project, and thanked local communities for their cooperation.
“I declare the new Brufut–Tujereng road officially inaugurated,” he said.
National Roads Authority Managing Director Sulayman Sumareh Janneh said the project, initially planned as an intervention at the Madiana Bridge was expanded after technical assessments into a full corridor with modern drainage systems and an eight-metre carriageway.
He said the road is expected to benefit more than 80,000 people, improve access to essential services, reduce transport costs, and facilitate annual religious pilgrimages to Kunkujang Mariama.
