Kédougou: Déthié Fall welcomes the progress of road and urban projects

The Minister of Infrastructure, Land and Air Transport, Déthié Fall, made a working visit to the localities of Kédougou and Saraya, particularly along the strategic corridor leading to the Senegalese-Mali border. Accompanied by the PROMOVILLES and AGEROUTE teams, the minister came to see the progress of road and urban projects, while engaging in direct dialogue with elected officials and local populations.

Minister Déthié Fall was accompanied by the governor of the Kédougou region Mariama Traoré and her deputy, the prefects of Kédougou and Saraya, local elected officials as well as officials from Promovilles and Ageroute.
On the Saraya-Moussala axis, the minister welcomed the efforts already made on the Dakar–Bamako road corridor from the South (RN7), while urging companies to accelerate the remaining work.
“We came to see first-hand the significant efforts already made by AGEROUTE on a good part of the corridor and to urge the rapid mobilization of the company to finalize the rest,” declared Déthié Fall.
With a total length of 136.4 km, this structuring project, financed to the tune of 50.4 billion FCFA, displays significant progress rates: 85.5% on the Mako–Kédougou section, 79% on Kédougou–Saraya and 77% on Saraya–Moussala. More than 350 direct jobs, including a high proportion of local and female workers, have already been created.

In the department of Saraya, where Minister Déthié Fall visited, local elected officials emphatically expressed the priority needs of the department of Saraya, the capital on the border with Mali, particularly in terms of opening up the various municipalities in the department and the construction of public buildings.
“Saraya is the gateway to Senegal. We want a town hall worthy of its status, modern and representative,” argued the mayor of Saraya Sambaly Biagui, stressing that the current building dates from the 1980s. He also requested the minister’s support for the construction of new schools, in order to relieve teachers and students, especially since his commune, the departmental capital, only has one elementary school.
In the commune of Kédougou where it began its field visit, the PROMOVILLES program is in the process of redesigning the urban face of the regional capital. Jointly financed by the State of Senegal and BADEA, for a total amount of 5.76 billion FCFA, the project planned the construction and rehabilitation of 6.45 km of roads, in bitumen and paving stones, with rainwater sanitation and public lighting.

Thus, in total, 328 street lights were installed, improving nighttime security, while 24 classrooms, the Women’s House, landscaping and social facilities were reinforced.
“These achievements demonstrate remarkable work,” said the minister, announcing that he was “in an advanced position to view all of the works before the next visit of the President of the Republic to the area.”

Faced with numerous requests, Déthié Fall wanted to recall the reality of the budgetary context, while reaffirming the political will of the highest authorities.
“There is a significant infrastructure deficit to be resolved. It would be utopian to claim to resolve everything at once. But the will of the Head of State and the Prime Minister remains intact,” he assured.
According to the minister, priority is given to a pragmatic and progressive approach, based on regular visits to the field in order to identify emergencies and provide concrete responses.
“Infrastructure is the land. Nothing beats going on site to see, listen and reassure the populations,” he insisted.
For their part, elected officials unanimously welcomed this ministerial visit, seen as a strong signal of proximity between the central State and the border territories often faced with a delay in equipment.