By: Foday Manneh
New buses commissioned by the President of the Republic, His Excellency Adama Barrow, have started operation. They are plying roads from the Northern part of the country to the Upper River Region.
On Wednesday, 12 April 2023, President Adama Barrow inaugurated 70 new buses, out of which 59 are allocated for public transport, while the remaining 11 will be used for the transportation of school students.
The inaugurated buses could not have come at a better time as people travel back to their hometowns and villages to celebrate the Muslim feast of Eid-Al-Fitr (Koriteh) with their families, marking the end of the holy month of Ramadan.
The commissioning of the new buses also coincides with reduced transport fares, easing the burden on public spending during such periods.
During the inauguration of the new bus fleet, President Barrow said the provision of new buses is designed to accompany the infrastructural upgrading of national road networks.
“This is a timely and strategic initiative designed to accompany the infrastructural upgrading of our national road network through the improvement of the existing roads and construction of new ones, particularly in areas where the need is greatest,” Barrow said.
The President thanked Gambia Transport Service Company (GTSC) and TK Export for their cooperation and paid tribute to the late Vice President Alieu Badara Joof for heading the negotiation to purchase the new buses.
The General Manager of GTSC, Seedy Kanyi, described the inauguration of the bus fleet as historic and said the added buses would go a long way in addressing supply deficits for effective and efficient service delivery.
Mr. Kanyi added, “With these buses coming, we planned to improve our coverage areas, including urban and rural areas. We would be paying more than 60 roads countrywide, and half of these roads are new ones.”
The GTSC is committed to easing transport constraints for customers nationwide by providing comfortable and safe travel with affordable fares, creating employment for many, and facilitating linkages between towns and villages nationwide.
Since assuming power, President Adama Barrow has re-energized the Gambia’s public transportation sector with focused government investments boosting vehicle logistics and transport infrastructure.
