Africa-Press – Gambia. This press release from the Gambia Ferry Services reflects the sheer negligence and incompetence in the Government that must be addressed. It is unreasonable to have only one ferry plying between Banjul and Barra. This is because a breakdown means a complete halt of traffic until the breakdown is addressed. Therefore to put only one ferry in this space is an act of negligence of duties and utter incompetence.
Banjul-Barra is an economic hub; a lifeline for health, education, security, culture, life and livelihoods. It’s unthinkable that there would be a stoppage of ferry services for even one minute in this space when there is no disaster or conflict in the country.
It is a basic management sense to realise that there cannot be only one ferry for this service. It raises the question whether the Ministry of Transport, the Gambia Ports Authority and the Gambia Ferry Services do conduct risk assessment and put in place mitigation measures?
Clearly if such an exercise was done, it should establish that under no circumstances should there be only one ferry. This is because when that ferry breaks down, then the society and the economy suffer!
This has been the call some of us have been making that national development is not just about building roads, hospitals, universities, police stations, bridges and buying vehicles, generators and so on.
At the end of the day, these infrastructures have to be managed and run efficiently so as to bring comfort, convenience and certainty to the lives of the people. These goods and services have to become catalysts and enablers to transform lives and livelihoods. We cannot spend millions in the name of infrastructure and equipment only for the people and the economy to continue to suffer due to poor management.
Therefore, beyond and above these infrastructures if the President, Ministers, Directors and officials cannot ensure effective management that is efficient, responsive and sustainable then they are incompetent. Look at every sector of Government and it is the same problem of negligence, inefficiency and incompetence one finds there which only highlight corruption.
Our ferries are in shambles. Banjul-Barra should be having nothing less than 5 functional ferries operating 24/7. Apart from the lack of ferries, go to Banjul or Barra terminal buildings to see the dilapidated conditions of the facilities. Yet millions were spent to build terminal buildings only for them to run down in no time.
The Minister for Transport, Works and Infrastructure must exercise effective and responsible leadership to ensure that the agencies under his portfolio are performing and delivering as they should. So far, they are seriously underperforming.
For The Gambia Our Homeland!
Madi Jobarteh
Kembujeh
Source: The Standard Newspaper | Gambia
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