The event was held at the Ministry of Works Complex along MDI Road. The project launch became the fourth Ports expansion project.
Speaking at the event, Ousman Jobarteh, managing director for the Gambia Ports Authority, recalled that the third Ports expansion project was done through a loan from the African Development Bank on lending arrangements between the Ministry of Finance and the Gambia Ports Authority. He confirmed that the loans have been fully paid back by the Ports Authority.
He noted that this fourth expansion project would add value to some of the infrastructures and the capacity development needs to reposition the Ports. He said one of the significant issues the project covers, apart from the provision of a green new ferry which is climate resilient, is also to look at the widening and expansion which is the access to the Ports.
He encouraged strong collaboration with the AfDB to look at the ancillary activity that would be affected by the project to ensure a sustainable management of the operation of ferry services. He noted that they need to look at having the second landing facility.
“We would live up to expectations and terms of compliance to ensure that we deliver the services to the Gambian people. By the end of the day, the project will affect the people by its impacts,” he noted.
He said that a significant element that has been featured in one of the components is to ensure that gender issues are mainstreamed into the project to ensure inclusiveness.
Speaking on behalf of the African Development Bank/African Development Fund, Madam Sheila Enyonam Akyea, senior transport engineer, Infrastructure, Ghana Country Office, expressed optimism that the project like all other previous projects funded by the Bank in the country, would also achieve a huge success. She added that the objectives are for project beneficiaries to benefit and improve their lives.
She commended the partners for the warm reception, while hoping for the successful commissioning of the project.
For his part, Matarr Ceesay, permanent secretary at the Ministry of Works, described the project as critical and timely. He added it is geared towards delivering very significant infrastructure in the transportation and ferry services.
He said the grant, which is about $20.5 million with counterpart funding from the Gambia Ports Authority, is going to help the government achieve a significant infrastructure and create climate resilience infrastructure that would help both in the transportation and economic sector in terms of trade and expansion facilities. He added that this would help position The Gambia as significant in sub-regional trade.
The components of the project, he said, include the procurement of two green ferries for The Gambia Ferry Services.
He encouraged all stakeholders to collaborate effectively to successfully deliver the project.
