The Ministry of Higher Education Research Science and Technology (MoHERST) has officially handed over the newly built state-of-the-art University of Applied Science, Engineering and Technology campus in Brikama, West Coast Region.
Funded by the World Bank ACE Impact for Development Project, the structure includes 12 classrooms, 5 studios, 28 offices, a 250-seat auditorium, a conference meeting room, 15 modern and fully equipped engineering laboratories, and 4 workshops, namely the Welding, Automotive, Mechanical, and Theory of Machines workshops, all furnished with state-of-the-art machinery and tools.
Speaking on behalf of the Permanent Secretary, the Director of Science, Technology and Innovation, Samba Sowe, expressed his heartfelt appreciation to the contractor and consultant for delivering such a magnificent campus.
He reflected on the challenges encountered during the construction of the project and highlighted how the Ministry and its development partners were able to overcome those challenges.
Director Sowe stated that the handing over of the campus marks a key step towards the realization of the Ministry’s higher education transformation agenda. He expressed optimism that the USET Brikama campus will be a game-changer in The Gambia’s tertiary and higher education sector. It will help train and produce a new generation of homegrown engineers in the country who will contribute immensely to the socio-economic development of the country, he noted.
On behalf of the Ministry, Director Sowe thanked the World Bank, the Association of African Universities and the development partners for funding and supporting the establishment of the USET campus.
He announced “there is advanced commitment” from the Ministry to fencing the campus to ensure thorough security, saying he is convinced the USET leadership would appoint a Centre Manager who will monitor and manage the facility for sustainability.
Director Sowe declared that the Ministry is working towards the implementation of the second phase of the USET Brikama Campus to strengthen the teaching and learning of applied science, engineering, technology and innovation with hands on practical.
The Vice Chancellor of USET, Professor Nazmat Toyin Surajudeen-Bakinde, expressed her heartfelt appreciation to the President of the Republic of The Gambia and Chancellor of the University of Applied Science, Engineering, and Technology, His Excellency President Adama Barrow. She also appreciated the Minister of Higher Education, and the entire management of the Ministry for their visionary leadership and commitment. She thanked the World Bank and all the stakeholders who have contributed to the realisation of the project.
She reaffirmed her administration’s commitment to training and producing homegrown engineers at the new USET campus of a state-of-the-art facility. The new and fully equipped facility will enhance and support teaching, research, and community service in applied science and engineering, she said.
For the maintenance and sustainability of the facility, the Vice Chancellor announced that she has confidence in her university’s Director of Physical Planning and the Director of Works and Maintenance, who will be responsible for keeping the facility in good condition.
The consultant, Baboucarr Semega-Janneh of FENTA Consulting Architects, expressed his company’s pride to be part of the project he described as a unique and transformative.
He highlighted that USET is the only specific University of Applied Science in The Gambia thus his consultancy company and the contractor ensured they designed the campus to match higher standards which will be conducive to support the teaching and learning activities of the young engineer students while simultaneously stimulating them intellectually and challenging their critical innovative ideas.
The contractor, Cherno Kurubally of Kurubally Construction, highlighted that his company was thrilled to be part of the project, adding that they are committed to working and delivering more standard projects to come. He advised the Vice Chancellor to appoint a Centre Manager for the USET campus to monitor the facility for sustainability of the structures.
He noted that the construction firm “remains responsible for the facility for a one-year guarantee period” following the handover, and encouraged USET management to conduct regular maintenance both during and after this period for the sustainability of the facility.
He announced that his firm would post a permanent staff who would work closely with the USET management during the one-year guarantee period.
He expressed delight and appreciation to the Ministry for the good partnership and for working with his company in “this significant national development project”.
