Residents of Marakissa Ward appealed to President Adama Barrow for infrastructure upgrades on Wednesday, 14 October 2026, during his Meet the People Tour. Fatou Jatta, a lady councillor, addressed the deteriorating conditions, stating, "The road in Brikama North, Kabafita to Bafuloto, is very bad. The second issue is our market. We have been crying about it for a while now."
President Adama Barrow noted that his government has been in office for ten years. He told the residents, "We cannot work on The Gambia at once. We should also have in our minds that our resources are limited and ours is a tax-based economy. That was why the first two governments could not do what I did." He added, "You can say I haven’t reached your community, but you cannot say I will not reach you. I will address all your needs one after the other."
Urgent Demands for Road Infrastructure
Chief Dembo Bojang requested the construction and rehabilitation of the Darsilameh–Sifoe and the Jidda–Baba Njie roads to improve local connectivity. Regarding the current state of transport infrastructure, he stated, "We have roads linking us to Kombo East, but they are hardly motorable during the rainy season. We are appealing for the construction of the Darsilameh–Sifoe and the Jidda–Baba Njie roads."
Separately, Seedy Nyassi reported that the community of Bajiran has not received any government projects since the colonial era. He noted that residents face ongoing difficulties, saying, "Bajiran hasn’t got any government project since colonial times. They don’t have electricity or a good road, as it is always a challenge to access Bajiran during the rainy season. And they have always supported successive governments."
Electricity Access and Regional Progress
Manduar Alkalo Jerreh Bojang formally requested the expansion of the national electricity grid to reach communities within Marakissa Ward that remain disconnected from power services. During the meeting, he emphasized the necessity of this infrastructure, stating, "This area is short of electricity."
Alkali Sanyang provided an overview of electrification progress within the broader district. He reported that prior to the current administration, only 10 out of 32 villages in Kombo East possessed electricity access. According to his assessment, recent government efforts have narrowed this gap significantly, leaving only two villages in the area without a power supply.
Seedy Nyassi expanded on the regional infrastructure requirements by identifying specific road networks that currently suffer from poor conditions. He noted that the Basura–Darsilameh and Penyem–Marakissa routes require urgent maintenance to ensure reliable transport. He noted that the Manduar–Sambou Kunda and Marakissa–Kitty roads are in a state of disrepair, posing ongoing difficulties for residents attempting to navigate the area.
