Gambia has launched Basse Bypass-Sabi road rehabilitation and construction project, which is funded by European Union (EU). Annes Guillaud, the EU’s in-charge in the country, said on Saturday at the launch that the road project was important as regards U-The Gambia cooperation, in support of the National Gambia Transport Plan.
The road rehabilitation and construction project is being financed by the European Union, and will be part of the roads to spend a total sum of US$83m. The money will see through construction and rehabilitation of 273km network of roads which includes the Basse Bypass-Sabi road and others. The 273km network will constitute almost 50% of the roads paved in the West African country.
Other road rehabilitation and construction projects where the funds will be spent are the Mandinaba-Seleti Road a 12.7km road together with the Trans-Gambia Highway which is 25km, the Soma-Basse road made of 193km and the Barra-Amdalai Road stretching out to 19.9km will also benefit from the funding provided by the EU as per the financed agreement that was signed between the European Union and the Gambian government.
She added that the Basse Bypass-Sabi road afforded Gambians easy access to Velingara Town in Senegal as well as other towns that played a key role in the region. She said the road provided link to ferry goods from other countries to Gambia and vice versa. The EU representative also thanked the authorities and said their massive attendance of the ceremony showed that they were interested in the cooperation with the European Union to improve infrastructure in the region.
The road rehabilitation project will also improve safety according to her, since it will, through the bypass, reduce the amount of traffic on meant for Basse. In this way, the construction project will also be helpful in decreasing the travel time.
