President Adama Barrow has launched a major 250-kilometre road infrastructure project in the North Bank Region, describing the initiative as a significant step towards improving connectivity, strengthening trade and supporting economic development in the region.
The project was launched during a foundation stone-laying ceremony in Kuntaya, where the president said the new road network would help address long-standing transportation challenges faced by communities across the region.
The project will connect key settlements, including Barra, Baccallow, Ker Sam Mbacke and Ker Cerno Omar, improving access to markets, public services and other economic opportunities.
Speaking at the ceremony, President Barrow highlighted the strategic importance of the North Bank Region, which he described as one of the country’s important agricultural areas and a key gateway for trade with neighbouring countries.
“We are laying the groundwork for a brighter, more connected, and more prosperous future for every single family in this region,” President Barrow said.
The government expects the expanded road network to facilitate the movement of agricultural produce, reduce transportation costs and improve access to markets for farmers and other rural communities.
Officials also say improved roads will support trade and commerce, stimulate economic activity and create employment opportunities, particularly for young people.
President Barrow stressed that the project was also intended to promote greater inclusion by ensuring that rural communities have improved access to essential services.
He said the government was committed to ensuring that communities, regardless of their size or location, were not left isolated because of poor road infrastructure.
The 250-kilometre network forms part of the government’s Yiriwa National Development Plan, with the administration presenting infrastructure development as a key component of its broader economic agenda.
President Barrow also sought to position the North Bank Region as an increasingly attractive destination for investment, declaring that the region was “solidly open for business.”
The president used the occasion to defend his administration’s record on infrastructure delivery, saying development should be measured by tangible results rather than promises.
“Development is not about promises, but about delivery. Yet again, we have delivered, and we will continue to fulfill the pledges we made to the people of this region,” he said.
For farming communities across the North Bank, the road project is expected to address some of the difficulties associated with transporting crops and accessing markets, particularly in areas where poor road conditions have historically limited economic activity.
The project is therefore being presented by the government as more than a transport initiative, with the administration linking the investment to agricultural development, rural inclusion, trade and broader economic growth.
The launch comes as the government continues to place infrastructure development at the centre of its national development agenda, with improved road connectivity expected to play a key role in integrating rural communities into the wider economy.
