By: Momodou S Gagigo
Minister of Works and Transport Ebrima Sillah has openly blamed the Brikama Area Council, under the leadership of Yankuba Darboe, for stalling the construction of long-awaited markets in Brikama and Brufut, pointing to an ongoing lawsuit filed by the council against the central government as the main obstacle.
Speaking on Monday during President Adama Barrow’s Meet-the-People Tour in Busumbala Constituency, Minister Sillah expressed visible frustration over the delay. “These are very important markets for our people and for commerce in the area, yet the Brikama Area Council has taken the government to court, and that is what is holding everything up,” he told a large crowd of supporters.
The minister revealed that contracts for both markets had already been awarded and contractors were ready to mobilise, but the legal action has frozen progress. Residents in Brikama and Brufut have been waiting for years for modern market facilities to replace overcrowded, outdated trading spaces.
While addressing infrastructure development, Sillah announced several upcoming projects in the West Coast Region, including the construction of a new road linking Busumbala to Njoguba Junction, upgrades to the coastal highway, and a modern market complex in Tanji designed to serve fishermen and vendors.
Turning to politics ahead of upcoming elections, the minister urged citizens to “vote wisely” and warned against opposition parties he labelled as “violence instigators.” He stressed the importance of voter registration, declaring, “No one should stop anyone from registering. Don’t let them say they are foreigners. Everyone who is Gambian has the right to register and vote.”
The public exchange has brought fresh attention to strained relations between the NPP-led central government and the opposition-controlled Brikama Area Council, with major development projects caught in the middle. Residents and traders say they want the dispute resolved so construction can finally begin.
As President Barrow’s nationwide tour continues, his administration insists that infrastructure delivery remains on track despite legal and political challenges.
