The Management of the Secretariat and the Road Reserve Committee conducted a tour of reserve lands earmarked for car parks, markets, and other social amenities in the West Coast Region. The reserve lands are part of efforts to relocate roadside vendors and businesses with minimal disruptions ahead of the forthcoming road constructions.  
The CEO of the Secretariat, Mr. Yankuba Dibba described the tour as a necessary step to providing support and viable alternative for the affected businesses and individuals along the 22km perimeter (Bertil Harding Highway to Sting Corner).
“It will facilitate the coordination and networking necessary to achieve the objective of relocating some of the social services with minimal disruptions to business and social lives,” CEO Dibba said.
“The tour is also a manifestation of the resolve of stakeholders to ensure that key priority projects of the OIC are implemented in a timely fashion, thus fulfilling the key development objectives of the National Development Plan,” he added.
Members of the Road Reserve Committee include the National Roads Authority, Ministry of Lands and Regional Government, Nawec, Gamtel, National Disaster Management Agency, Kanifing Municipality, Brikama Area Council, among other stakeholders.
The tour is part of ongoing efforts to smoothly facilitate the relocation of roadside vendors, truckers, motorcar dealers and others, along the OIC Gambia Project Impact Zones.  

The Head of Brand and Communication, Nfally Fadera said the exercise marks the beginning of a comprehensive program to consult and cater to the needs of the lives and livelihoods that will be affected by the work.
“In the days and weeks to come, we will consult and engage the affected communities in a respectful and courteous manner with the hoping of carrying out our work smoothly. We will not only offer alternative places to relocate them, but we will also support in other ways, including providing basic business management and value addition courses.”

The project will see the Bertil Harding Highway expanded into a modern dual carriage of six lanes with three lanes on each side. The project is expected to decongest traffic, create jobs, facilitate the easy movement of goods and services, thereby boosting local commerce.