The road was commissioned by the minister of Agriculture, Dr Demba Sabally, on behalf of the minister for Works and Transport. It links Karantaba Wolof and Jah Oil Rice Field at Bayaba village CRR.
Speaking at the inaugural ceremony, Minister Sabally hailed Hamidou Jah as a loyal citizen, saying it takes only loving citizens to undertake such responsibility.
“We are expressing sincere gratitude to Hamidou Jah for his devotion for the country and agriculture. He has a very good team around him; that is the general manager Mr. Hydara and also Mr. Kah; a very great adviser and an agricultural expert. And today, we are grateful to the alkalo (village head) of Bayaba. He welcomed Mr. Jah and his team, provided the land so they are a great hosts,” he said.
“We have been made to understand today that their hospitality is exceptional. We are very happy to be here in Bayaba for the second time. A couple of weeks ago we were here with the president and the entire cabinet.”
“Today we are here on his advice and his instructions are to be here with the minister of Lands and also minister of Works but unfortunately, he is outside the country. So I am here on behalf of him but entirely we are here on behalf of the president.”
“We want to seize this opportunity to thank Mr. Jah for his commitment towards agriculture. Agriculture is the backbone of this country; and if we have sincere, committed Gambians like Hamidou, The Gambia will be rice self-sufficient by 2030.”
“He is so committed because constructing this road alone; it is in millions and that shows his real commitment.”
For his part, the deputy managing director of Trust Bank, Omar Mboob, said he had never seen such an individual commitment in the history of The Gambia. “It is quite massive; we have gone around the road that has been cleared all the way from Karantaba to Bayaba and we are happy to see the equipment that’s mobilised.”
“I wish all the Gambians; both the state and the public will really give support and find time just to come and see how this place is,” he affirmed.
He hailed Jah for transforming a virgin land into something massive to feed the nation.
The alkalo of Bayaba, Dura Bah, commended Hamidou Jah for bringing development to their door steps. He also thanked President Adama Barrow for creating the conducive environment for the private sector to operate in The Gambia peacefully, while assuring his village’s commitment to work with Hamidou Jah on his rice field.
