𝐁𝐚𝐫𝐫𝐨𝐰 𝐎𝐩𝐞𝐧𝐬 𝐍𝐞𝐰 𝐇𝐚𝐤𝐚𝐥𝐚𝐧𝐠 𝐑𝐨𝐚𝐝, 𝐏𝐥𝐞𝐝𝐠𝐞𝐬 𝐂𝐨𝐧𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐮𝐞𝐝 𝐓𝐫𝐚𝐧𝐬𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐦𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐃𝐫𝐢𝐯𝐞

𝗕𝘆 𝗠𝘂𝘀𝗮 𝗝𝗮𝘄𝗮𝗿𝗮

President Adama Barrow has reaffirmed his government’s commitment to transforming The Gambia’s infrastructure landscape as he commissioned the newly constructed 84.5-kilometer Nuimi-Hakalang road, linking Lower and Upper Nuimi and Jokadou districts to the rest of the North Bank Region.

The long-awaited project, which connects several isolated communities, marks another milestone in President Barrow’s ongoing national development agenda. Addressing a jubilant crowd at the inauguration ceremony, the President said the new road symbolizes his administration’s dedication to improving the lives of ordinary Gambians, particularly those in rural areas.

“Our farmers struggled extremely hard to transport their produce, while traders had to face huge obstacles before reaching the business centres of their choice. Access to schools, markets, healthcare facilities, and other services remained a nightmare,” Barrow recalled. “Today, that is history.”

The new road is expected to significantly boost agricultural productivity, facilitate trade, and enhance access to essential services such as education and healthcare. It also opens a vital tourism corridor leading to Kunta Kinteh Island and the historic town of Jufureh, sites central to The Gambia’s cultural and historical heritage.

Regional Governor Lamin Saidykhan praised the government’s holistic approach to development in the North Bank Region, noting that the Barrow administration has complemented road projects with the expansion of health centres, schools, and water and electricity supply.

“The government is not only building roads, but building communities,” Saidykhan remarked.

The Hakalang road joins a growing list of major infrastructure projects under President Barrow’s leadership, including the Basse-Fatoto-Koina highway, the Bertil Harding Highway expansion, and other road networks, all aimed at enhancing national connectivity and economic integration.

Traditional griots and community elders hailed Barrow as “the first President in Gambian history” to make the Hakalang road motorable, transforming what was once a rough, impassable route into a modern link that promises to uplift livelihoods across the region.