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Momodou
Denmark
11804 Posts |
 Posted - 31 Mar 2010 : 16:29:32
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Dailynews Editorial: “A stitch in time can save nine”Roads Are Important Infrastructure
The National Road Authority (NRA) is one very important Authority, and should be given all the necessary support to do their job without interference. Since their inception, one could only say they are doing a very good job. Our roads like any other important sectors needed repairs and at all times if only we want development. That repair is one major thing we failed-in as a nation.
It is sometime an eye sore if one goes visiting some old government residents, where you see how most of this one time solid buildings are turned into ghost buildings. It is also an eye sore if one goes to, even as recent as the Gambia Public Transport Cooperation (GPTC) old depots in Essau, Soma, or Farafenni. Not to talk about some government buildings in Mansa Konko, Basse, Georgetown, or elsewhere. These buildings lack repairs and so, they are abandoned.
Just like NRA, government should have in place a unit that can go on repairing buildings, and also maintaining them. Our government should remember that these are built from the public coffers; it is the tax payers’ monies. Like roads, these government buildings have to get the attention of the authorities, if we are to make any head way as a nation.
This Gambia once has a sector called Public Works Department (PWD). Among their functions is repairing roads and also serve as a training center for young workers. In those days, our roads are constantly subjected to lots of repairs. Almost all the divisional headquarters have PWD stations. Most road network constructions are undertaken by this very important department. The NRA is similar in function with the PWD of the first Republic, which of course was scrapped before the birth of the second Republic.
The rains are fast approaching and yet many roads within the greater Banjul Area are in their worst deplorable conditions. Many of these roads are unmotorable due to the poor condition they are. Let us take the Ebou Town as an example; these are flood-prone areas, and so it is only during such times that NRA can go their help before they become victims of flood. The NRA and other stakeholders should go in at this time to put up preventive measure that will avert a situation where people who reside in these settlements, will be seen on national TV, calling for help.
Many of the affected areas during the rains are mainly caused by poor road networks. Some are mainly due to where such people are settled, but many of them are caused by our poor road network mainly within the Greater Banjul Area.
The NRA as said in the opening of this editorial, is a very important Authority and they are doing a good job. The Banjul /Sere-Kunda High way is under serious repairs and such repairs are welcome. As the saying goes, “a stitch in time can save nine”. The two decade old road network would have gone down just like how the Soma/ Basse and Banjul truck roads ended. It is because of the same lack of repair works, the newly constructed much talked about the Barra/Laminkoto road is gradually going down. We are not saying the repairs are not being undertaken by the NRA.
Roads like any other projects needs repairs, so the NRA should focus its attention to the North bank trunk, otherwise in a matter of few years that road will go just like that of the South bank.
Source: Dailynews
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