By Makutu Manneh
Sulayman Sumareh Janneh, managing director of The Gambia’s National Roads Authority, said roads constructed under President Adama Barrow’s administration are designed to last at least 25 years, a standard he said surpasses that of projects undertaken by previous governments.
In an interview with QTV, Mr. Janneh said the durability of newer roads reflects a shift in both investment and technical capacity. Spending on road construction, he added, now significantly exceeds levels seen during the administrations of former presidents Sir Dawda Kairaba Jawara and Yahya Jammeh.
He attributes the change in part to a substantial expansion of in-house expertise at the authority.
He noted that the NRA, which once employed only a handful of engineers, now has more than 35, including a large contingent with advanced degrees. “Out of 35 engineers, we have a minimum of 15 to 20 who are master’s degree holders,” he said. “And out of those, we have a minimum of 15 who are roadway designers or highway engineers.”
The agency has also broadened its specialization, incorporating structural, geotechnical, and hydraulic engineers—expertise that Mr. Janneh said was previously scarce in the country.
“Now we actually have virtually all the needed expertise at the institution that can take up pretty much anything relating to road construction and maintenance,” he said.
With that capacity, he added, the authority has gained greater control over project design and execution and no longer depends on foreign consultants to direct its work.
Mr. Janneh called for public support for both the authority and the government, saying the current administration has provided the resources needed to carry out its mandate effectively.
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