By Lamin Cham
President Adama Barrow on Saturday told the people of Brufut that he has a special passion and liking for the town and if he continues in power, many of the needs and aspirations highlighted by the residents would become reality.
He said this after inaugurating a ring of roads that runs through the heart of the town linking it to main highways and surrounding villages.
Key among the new roads is the main Brufut Town Road which connects from the Bertil Harding Highway from Bijilo – Mohammed Jah Junction, through the Brufut Heights, cutting across the main Brufut town and going beyond to Madiana, Banyakang and Kunkujang Mariama.
Another road connect the town from the Bertil Harding Highway just after the Brusubi roundabout and runs through the Brufut town centre to Ghana Town where it joined the Kombo Coastal Road towards Tanji.
For a settlement that has endured a long period of poor road access, these developments are a tremendous transformation, so exciting that the president himself called the place ‘Dubai of The Gambia’.
The president said these roads are the first phase of what he has in store for the town.
“This is just the tip of the iceberg. What is coming next will be bigger,” he assured the residents at a mass rally that evening.
He said his government will build a standard market for the town among other amnesties.
Brufut alkako Malamin Manneh told The Standard that those who knew the problem of access roads in Brufut in the past will rejoice at the transformation the town has gone through. “We must give thanks where it is due. There have been governments before Adama’s own, but none has prioritised our aspirations like he did. He has demonstrated good faith in his dealings with the residents of Brufut and we must do our part in supporting him,” the alkalo said.
Alimu Sanu Barrie, the CEO of Pavi Fort – Al Associates Ltd, the contractors for the Brufut roads, said he was delighted to witness the day.
“It was a long journey from the first day we started building this road. It says a lot about Pavi Fort which is present in six countries. It is a great feeling that we have come to The Gambia and completed our first project as we are hoping to stay here for more projects,” CEO Barrie said.
President Barrow’s love affair with Brufut started in December 2016 when during his campaign tour as the flag-bearer of the coalition, people waited until 2am to welcome him in the town. He was never short of gratitude for the town since.