On behalf of the Honourable Minister of Higher Education, and Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Higher Education, the Director of Science, Technology and Innovation of the Ministry of Higher Education, Mr. Samba Sowe on Thursday, 29th August, 2025 presided over the official handing over ceremony of 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, Mr. 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 these challenges.
Director Sowe stated that the handing over of the campus marks a key step towards the realization of the Ministry 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. And will help train and produce a new generation of home-grown engineers in the country who will contribute immensely in the socio-economic development of the country.
On behalf of the Ministry, Director Samba thanked the World Bank, the Association of African Universities and all the development partners for funding and supporting the establishment of the USET campus. He announced that there is advanced commitment from the Ministry in fencing the campus to strengthen the state of security and that he is convinced that the USET leadership will 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 all geared 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; the Honourable 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 towards the achievement of the project.
She reaffirmed her administration’s commitment in training and producing home grown engineers at the newly built USET campus with state-of-the-art facility. She said that the newly built and fully equipped facility will enhance and support teaching, research, and community service in the area of applied science and engineering.
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 responsibility for keeping the facility in good condition.
The Consultant from FENTA Consultant, Mr. Baboucarr Semega-Janneh expressed his company’s pride to be part of this project while describing it as a unique and transformative project. He highlighted that USET is the only specific University of Applied Science in the Gambia thus his consultancy company and the contractor ensured that 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 from Kurubally Construction, Mr. Cherno Kurubally highlighted that his company was thrilled to be part of this project and they are committed to continue to work in more future 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 will permanently post a staff who will 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 having working with his company in this significant national development project.
