Dr. Ousman Gajigo and Minister Seedy Keita
By Buba Gagigo
Dr. Ousman Gajigo has disclosed that the agreement between the Government of The Gambia and Africa50 includes a clause preventing The Gambia from building any new bridges for the next 15 years. He stated that he uncovered this information through the International Monetary Fund (IMF).
The deal, part of Africa50’s Asset Recycling Programme, allows a newly established special purpose vehicle, Transgambia Bridge Company Ltd, to operate and maintain the Senegambia Bridge under the Shareholders Agreement signed by both parties.
Speaking to Kerr Fatou on Thursday, Dr. Gajigo criticized the handling of the agreement, particularly by Finance Minister Seedy Keita.
“We never have a Finance minister as bad as Seedy Keita. Let me give an example, the negotiation of the Senegambia Bridge was not done properly. Seedy Keita himself doesn’t understand the asset recycling he’s talking about. What he tells the National Assembly and the IMF, and during his press conferences are all different stories. There’s something in the agreement that he has never revealed to Gambians. They told Africa50 as far as you will be here for the next fifteen years, we will not build any bridge in the Gambia for the next fifteen years.”
Dr. Gajigo further explained that this restriction ensures there is no competition for the Senegambia Bridge, allowing Africa50 to recoup its investment.
“I got to know that through IMF. It was Seedy Keita who signed that agreement with them that we could not build any bridge for the next fifteen years. This is because they don’t want any other bridge to compete with the Senegambia Bridge. That will give Africa50 the opportunity to get the money they want. Seedy Keita has conducted a lot of press conferences, he went to the National Assembly but he never mentioned that to Gambians. I got to know this one but do we whether there are other things that we are not preview to? They have signed the agreement that we cannot build any bridge In the next fifteen years. Even if we have people who want to donate to us they cannot,” he said.
Dr. Ousman Gajigo is an economist and social commentator with extensive professional experience, including at the World Bank Group and Columbia University. He earned his PhD in Development Economics from the University of Wisconsin-Madison in 2008. His research expertise spans various fields, including trade finance, education economics, natural resource economics, entrepreneurship, agricultural economics, and health