President Barrow commissions 50km Road Projects constructed by Pavifort
By our Gambian Correspondent
The President of the Gambia, Adama Barrow, commissioned three newly constructed roads by Pavifort-Al Associate on Saturday, September 5th. The road project is part of the 50km Urban Roads Project in the Brufut, West Coast Region, under the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC). The roads—P6, P9, and P20—form part of Lot 2 of the OIC 50km Urban Roads Project, funded by the Saudi Fund for Development. The projects were implemented by a joint venture comprising Pavi-Ford, Gambisara, and Huta, under the supervision of Pace & Gamecs. Pavifort Al-Associate is known to be the first indigenous Sierra Leonean company acclaimed for undertaking massive developmental road projects within the West African sub-region.
The three road links were constructed with asphalt-paved carriageways, drainage infrastructure, sidewalks on both sides, and street lighting, providing safer and more efficient connections for communities and road users. The 8.6-kilometre P6 links Kololi Tavern through Bijilo to Brufut, while the 8.35-kilometre P9 connects Sukuta, Wullingkama, Brufut, and Ghana Town. The 1.18-kilometre P20 provides a connection from the Kombo Coastal Road, around Zion Welding Workshop, to the Wullingkama Car Park.
The completion of the project has helped enhance safety, accessibility, mobility, and connectivity across the rapidly developing communities of the West Coast Region, said Alimu Barrie, Chief Executive Officer of Pavifort Al-Associate. Three additional road links under Lot 2 are over 95% complete, which is why they were commissioned by President Barrow, who, in his keynote address, praised the Sierra Leonean company Pavifort and its CEO, Alimu Barrie, for taking on the challenge of constructing roads that had been abandoned for over 60 years.
The roads in question had been inaccessible, in deplorable condition, and dusty for years, with previous governments failing to address them. It was revealed that during the rainy season, vehicular movement became a serious challenge, as community stakeholders, commuters, and residents found it difficult to access their destinations. Pavifort Project Director, Engineer Joseph Raymond Sandy, said the project was initially pegged at twenty million United States dollars but was later increased to twenty-seven million dollars to include additional works. Out of the 50 kilometers, the project was divided into two lots, and Lot 2 costs 27 million dollars.