President Jammeh has disclosed plans to transform the wharf of Kaur in the Central River Region into a regional port.

The Gambian leader made this revelation on Wednesday at a raucous meeting in Kaur, as part of his ongoing Dialogue with the People’s Tour.

The president told the crowd that the transformation of the wharf into a regional port would greatly help to accelerate the socio-economic development of the area. He said that that would enable the people from Mali, Burkina Faso and other sub-regional countries to transit and make stops rather than travelling all the way down to Banjul port for business transactions. He observed that a state-of-the-art equipment would be provided to ensure a standard port that would be the best in the sub-region.

President Jammeh noted that part of his plans is to transform Kaur town into an separate region. He said this move is being inspired by the geographical reality of CRR, which is the biggest region in the country with only one regional capital - Janjanbureh.

The president told his people that they had not seen any development under his administration, as more major developments were in the pipeline. However he maintained that for such development to be possible, it requires the collective efforts of all Gambians.

Urging the people to go back to the land for food self-sufficiency, President Jammeh assured the Kaurians he would tackle the damage to rice fields by caused by hippos with the erection of fences and the construction of proper roads to the fields.

He expressed gratitude to Allah the Almighty for fulfilling his promises in May, 1995, for the provision of good roads, water and electricity.

Yankuba Touray, the secretary of state for Fisheries, Water Resources and National Assembly Matters, highlighted the major development projects in Kaur such as the rural water supply tank - the largest in Africa. He advised the people to desist from stealing water supply solar panels, a practice that has become a menace nationwide.

David Cham, the chief of Nianija District, appealed to the president for a good road, particularly the one that leads to Njaw, Nianija.

Chief Cham acknowledged the importance of the modern hospital built in the area, but bemoaned the lack of enough doctors in the facility.

Aji Yateh Faye, a regional women mobiliser for APRC, paid tribute to the president for the numerous developments in the area.

Alhaji Malick Mbye, the chief of Upper Saloum and Alhaji Ganyi Touray, the governor of CRR, also spoke at the meeting. Alhaji Tapha Njie, an Alkalo in Kaur, appealed for a ferry at Kaur-Jareng crossing point, fertilizers for farmers, as well as the connection of major villages to the rural electrification project.

Wassu rice fields

President Jammeh has visited the 173-hectare tidal irrigation rice project in Wassu in the Nianija District, CRR North.

According to officials, the rice project is supported by the Taiwanese Technical Mission and serves five satellite villages around Wassu.

In a separate engagement, the president received the top brass of the West African investment group (WAIG), led by Tombong Saidy, the CEO of Amren Consultancy, at a political rally in Kaur.

The delegation presented a gift, in appreciation of President Jammeh's development initiatives for the country.