THE PROBLEM OF PUBLIC TRANSPORT IS GETTING INTO HIGHER SCALES ON DAILY BASI
The problem of public transport still remains a key factor as a set bag in building an advance socioeconomic growth to enhance the lives of The Gambian people. The presence of the Gambia Transport Services Company buses is still not sufficient to curb the problem that arises along public places in times of work hour and rushing for other business engagements.
Many Gambians confront the problem in reaching their homes and reporting to work. It it is unfortunate that a person may spend about 2/3hrs consecutively searching and weaving for vehicles. The insufficiency of lack of enough public means of transport affects business of The average Gambian in trying to make ends meet. The Gambia should do whatever is possible to provide sufficient public transport services in building a more economic viable country where every Gambian will get easy access to public transport thus providing revenue for the government in forms of taxes and other monetary aspects that may be involved.
This problem must never be seen or observed as individual citizens problem but the problem of the state and all its subjects that may fall within it as a sovereign state. The people in the political class led by the president should call this a national problem that needs immediate remedies to be taken in order to combat against poverty and unemployment through the creation of jobs for the many Gambians by establishing an initiative even it is going to be through the GTSC but let is just be done.
This an unprecedented thing cannot and must be never be encouraged since the first leaders of this great nation failed to do so. It is now the responsibility of this current government to provide all essential services which includes good road networks and public transport services. Let the government draft a Public Transport Service Scheme in order to be able to solve this huge setback that serve as a predicament for the socioeconomic development of this country.
Therefore, The Gambia government and all its agencies should at least put controlled measures of the insufficiency of public means of transport. Once more transport service are put in place, many citizens will report to their work places on time, attend to their daily businesses, creating jobs for thousands of the people, tackled the problem of unemployment, and finally provide revenue for the government in executing national development plans to build a more socioeconomically viable society for all. This will create a more resilient society where every Gambian have the opportunity to the actualization of their dreams and potentials. Affordability of quality public transport services will earn accessibility to many Gambians thus boost the socioeconomic growth of the country. The Gambia has to reach the Promise Land and this will be a milestone to such.
By:
Amadou Ceesay,
Political Science Student -University of The Gambia.
