NA Committee inspects Senegambia Bridge

As part of their oversight functions, the national assembly select committee on governing monitoring project over the week toured the Senegambia Bridge. The visiting team, which included experts from the ministry of works, the national roads authority, contractors, engineers, project managers and consultants, visited the Senegambia Bridge

The NA select committee comprises of national assembly members headed by a chairman which is mandated to perform oversight functions. The committee is tasked to monitor ongoing implementations of government projects. The committee as mandated is to note the progress, challenges and make recommendation to government.

In briefing the receiving official about the tour, the Chairman of the committee Sulayman Saho with the majority and minority, assembled that the committee is set out on a fact-finding mission and also assesses the level of progress made in the ongoing implementation of government projects. He said that the committee is not a witch hunt but a partner in all government ongoing related projects to ensure the development and sustainability of the Gambia.

Muhammed Gibby, a Tunisian joint venture engineer led the committee. He said that the bridge is 65 meters with a 100-metre-wide to facilitate use of the river by boats. He said that the bridge was started in 2014 but normal work started in 2016. He said that the construction was to last for 36 months but this was extended due to the change of the designs. The bridge he said runs with the ferry services but only vehicle in good condition can use the bridge. He said that the access roads connecting the brides are under way and that the relevant authorities are in the picture. The challenges he said are mostly natural and the only challenge noted is that not all vehicle can climb the bride.

He said they are impressed with the level and quality of work and maintenance going on and that they will keep monitoring them to ensure that the objectives of the project is achieved.. They also recommended that the relevant institutions such as the ministry, NEA, Physical planning be put in the picture for accountability purposes. The committee also recommended that the green vegetation of the bridge side be maintain and further replace the felling ones. This they said is part of the environment and that it makes the environment beautiful. They also noted the presence vendor who were compensated and evicted. This they said is a concern and that actions must be taken as the vendors are at risk of accidents and other related issues. The custodian of h funds generated from the bridge was also question by the committee but to no avail. The contractor was task to fast track the remaining work of the bridge such as the toll booth, flowering, Bahamas and others