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CRR commuters fault gov’t for marginalisation

Oct 21, 2022, 2:52 PM | Article By: Ousman Jallow in CRR

Travelers in Central River Region north and parts of Upper River Region are blaming The Gambia government for not responding to their travelling needs.

According to them, in most cases they have to postpone their journeys due to lack of sufficient buses within their areas.

A commuter who spoke to The Point said the whole of Wuli East District in Upper River Region (URR) and Lower Saloum in Central River Region (CRR) only have one bus travelling across eight districts.

According to some commuters, one bus cannot transport people and goods in both regions. “The bus only has one trip – to and fro on a daily basis. The system is really affecting our livelihood,” a commuter said.

“When you miss the bus you must cancel your trip and some errands for that day.”

“One bus cannot accommodate travelers of both regions. Some time we will be standing on the highway waiting for the bus only for it to come and pass-by us full to capacity. We're therefore appealing to the government to look into the matter by providing us with more buses to improve the transport system within the area,” they also said.

The commuters said that the lack of sufficient buses within the area creates a situation in which commercial drivers take advantage of the situation and overcharge.

Affected districts include Wuli East, Wuli West, Sandugu, Sami, Niani, Nianija, Upper Saloum and Lower Saloum.