RESIDENT CALLS ON GOVT. TO CONSTRUCT 8KM FEEDER ROAD IN THE GAMBIA

The residents of Sare Gubu Basiru village in the Sandu District, Upper River Region north have called on the government to construct their 8KM feeder road. The 8KM feeder road links the community to Diabugu Bataba village (along the Laminkoto- Pasamas Highway).

Many communities around Sare Gubu Basiru villages such as Barrinabe and Sare Sillereh villages among other villages also use the same feeder road to reach Diabugu Batapa. The feeder road has several potholes and stagnant water, moving very hard.

Last year, residents urged the government to build the road but no positive response was made by authorities. However, they renewed the call on the central and local governments to build the road this year as well.

Speaking to The Point exclusively, Mahamadou Lamin Bah, the village imam, described the feeder road as important as it links communities to the highway (Laminkoto-Pasamas road) but was quick to add it is in poor condition.

He said there is a greater and urgent need for the government to construct the road to ease the transportation of goods and services in the area.

“If the road is constructed it would immensely improve living conditions of not only Sare Gubu Basiru residents but all satellite villages,” he stated.

Hassana Bah, the chairman of Sandu Youth Committee cum residents of Sare Gubu Basiru village, also described the feeder road as “terrible.”

“The constraints this road caused us cannot be over-emphasised because we find it tedious to transport sick people to Diabugu Batapa Health Centre due to the poor condition of the road.”

Healthcare officers at the Diabugu Batapa Health Centre often go to Sare Gubu Basiru village for weekly medical services. However, Bah noted these healthcare officers find it hard to access Sare Gubu Basiru during the rainy season.

“Last year, we could not benefit from the mass anti-mosquito campaign because the health officials could not access the village as a result of the poor road,” he said while calling on the government to construct the road.

Mamadou Barry, a community ambulance driver described the feeder road as bad and added that he finds it difficult to travel through it to Diabugu village due to several holes and stagnant water along the way.

“I have to drive very carefully if not the ambulance could have a breakdown,” he said.

Speaking on behalf of the women, Jainaba Jallow said pregnant women often encounter challenges while travelling to Diabugu village using the road.

“Sometimes, if we are conveying pregnant women to Diabugu Health Facility, we find it difficult to reach due to the nature of the road. This affects us,” she said.

“We men’s help,” she urged.