Where Elite Africa Neglect The Poor and Strangers on Road Planning and Construction?

Capitalism tends to have a hierarchy of abuse and neglect, but we have to limit it on neglect today. By elite, I am referring to the politicians, the road Construction companies, the elite journalists, etc. Poor Gambia may claim poverty as an excuse, but neglect even in planning and refusing to learn after feasible suggestions is where the crimes may be bigger than negligence. How many multi million dollars or even multi-billion dollars road construction in the Gambia and countless African countries refuse to have even 'Rain and sun shade' for those using public transportation? The so-called 'safety bumps' to force speed reduction may be outdated, but today's debate is how can we make them stranger friendly, if we cannot eliminate them? How can we add traffic lights and elevators for crossings?

Rain and Sun Shade for the Poor to Poorest: While I was driving on the Gambia's most expensive highway, it started to rain, and I saw a young lady standing on the rain. Somehow, God or conscience suggested to give her a ride. Within minutes of her entering the vehicle, the Lord of conscience further hints the importance of building 'rain and sun shade' for public transportation users. I gave a ride and God inspired an article, and I did not exchange numbers with the young lady. I told her I will write about it and she may luckily read it, if she reads... I am poor, but luckily driving. We do not have to debate much about who are poor to poorest, but we tend to argue trickle down theory on projects that are over 90% for the elite. When the OIC was to be hosted in the Gambia, there were countless projects that could have helped the Gambia more than the expensive highways I still appreciate and utilise. The debate can be long on much better projects, but how can the contractors to the governments ignore the importance of 'Rain and sun shade' stations? Write a new project proposal to Saudi-Arabia and other philanthropists around the world, tell them: A man called Jarga Kebba Gigo said international elite partnership for roads should reserve one to five percent of the road cost to help the poor during rains and extreme heat.

Around every kilometer, there should be a 'rain and sun shade' waiting station. This will mean an average walk of a few minutes and no more than half a kilometer when rain starts to fall. Ideally, it should have cameras too. It will have other spin-offs not worthy of mentioning. If Gambia's most expensive road project does not have such, we can assume over 90% of Gambian roads may lack such. Few existed in the Gambia when the bus public transportation was under the government, as bus stations, but private commercial vehicle customers deserve help. If twenty percent of Ghanaian, Nigerian, or xyz roads have them for buses, I still urge the journalists and caring ones to urge for the realization of such nationwide, especially on the next road projects. You should immediately try to fix the problem, even though the rains are about to finish in many countries. Some people cannot tolerate the sun like I happen to love it. Some have health issues. Fixing such reduces the stress levels of millions of people in the Gambia and hundreds of millions in Africa. I hope the kind Lord helps the poor, but enriches me and hopes to never need such stations.

We all know the planners and road contractors have expensive vehicles or may not care about the poor. We know the media house owners or top editors may be enjoying expensive vehicles, but can they care after Jarga highlights the remedies, not just the problems. The poor junior journalists may suffer for years and how many ever complain such to the authorities? Perhaps, God is about to help, because even me, I gave ride to others or saw the problem for years... A small shelter for about ten people is not expensive, even if you have to build thousands of them. You can use the local contractors or have them factory manufactured, and use limited local concrete installation. Of course they should be resistant to the winds of torrential rains.

Road bumps: They claim to force drivers to reduce speed in neighborhoods. Sometimes they are simply too close to each other. I think switching to cameras and ticketing is much smarter, financially more sensible to the governments and vehicle owners. However, the title wants us to argue it for stranger friendly. Daylight, it can be visible to all, but night time is where strangers can suffer much more. I cannot memorise or see such road bumps in over 75% of the Gambia, so how cruel are you to those visiting the Gambia? Well, I mean such problems may exist in Ghana, Nigeria, etc where you and I may visit. Can you add reflectors or xyz if you refuse evolution? Life requires updating. The cost of such bumps is one thing, the cost of unnecessary damage to over 1000 vehicles, per ten bumps, in a year is not minor, while switching to cameras with ticketing can help. Africa is where parents are allowed to be negligent, because they largely argue such as 'to protect the kids'. When those cameras are up, we should fine any parent whose child is seen too close to the road unattended. Last week, I ran onto one of these bumps at night. It spilled a vegan ice cream I prepared for my friend... gradual damage to vehicles can also cause ultimate damage, stress, and even premature deaths...

Speaking of stranger friendly, the Gambia and how many countries refuse to erect 'one way signs' on one way roads? Or even 'no parking signs' and still want to punish drivers. A police officer will scream at you: 'don't you know here is a one way traffic...'. The anti writing devil must be black, Gambian, or African? The people largely hate to read, but even the governments refuse to even write essential signs for all. I suspect they do it that way to encourage bribes, because erecting signs should not be very hard for any government. Good judges should set you free, but time wasting devils may still waste your time. Far less than one million dollars can erect signs for all the one-way traffic for small Gambia.

Road Crossing Upgrades: The Gambia and many countries use the 'zebra crossing lines' on roads. I think two feasible simple technologies can be added. One: a time based push button with traffic lights will help. After fighting for the poor, I think too many poor people are abusing these zebra crossing lines against the 'rich' and the poor. After pushing the button, the program is to give one to two minutes priority to the vehicles, including the commercial vehicles that help the poor. Such will speed up traffic, reduce lateness at work+, and help the poor cross in droves... one person crossed, walking slowly, and within 15 to 30 seconds, another person wants to cross, and such a brutal insane cycle can repeat. Terrible it can be per every commercial vehicle with angry customers, but try driving after mosque prayers on a Friday. Arrogant pedestrians will slowly walk like chameleons with right to be indifferent? By using timers with cameras, 15 or 30 seconds will force them to walk fast, mutually caring for each other.

The better option is special elevators or escalators per one kilometer, near the proposed rain and sun shade stations. I honestly believe Africa should be able to build elevators by now. If an apartment complex of eight story building can have elevators, then a block of eight to ten streets can have solar elevators or at least hybrid elevators. Use the elevator to rise or use the steps, then walk across the street to your destination. Now, how high should the pillars be, the elevator, etc? Try at least ten of such in the busiest places in tiny Gambia, but you may need thousands in Ghana, Nigeria, etc. Although I wish our politicians would act towards researchers access store (RAS) and other initiatives, I think rising Engineering companies in and beyond Africa should seriously work hard and propose such privately and publicly. 'Engineers without borders ' can be free or at a reasonable cost. If you propose building a hundred such solutions, but the Gambia, Ghana, Nigeria, or xyz refuse to respond, then consider an AI or xyz video on how it would look like or work, the proposed cost, and the public may pressure them to act.

The God of the poor+ is either 'abusing' me or using me as a witness+. I am highly thankful for the countless good ideas he channelled through me, but seeing much more achievements will greatly help. How many Gambian drivers, contractors, journalists, etc he skipped and chose me to eloquently call for feasible things that will help millions of people. I do not own a construction company, so the Gambia government cannot claim I stand to benefit financially on earth, let alone Ghana, Nigeria, Senegal, etc.... If we push hard together as writers and journalists, few or all countries may react rightly asap. They are paid to think and care for the poor, but chapter 103 demands we speak up not just for ourselves, but also for others. Beside publishing my article, can every media house write strong editorials and have happy hours on such. The so-called social influencers should make creative videos urging for actions, they may quickly act. We may not win the Nobel peace prize yet, but we are certainly working for the uplifting of hundreds of millions or billions of people. God may give us special 'prizes' in and beyond this world. If philanthropists are approached through our suggestions, they may win. You can estimate how many get sick through the rain+, the health cost, the work related cost, etc. Even a nylon with grass hut , plus two to four concrete pillars, can help. Seeing countless rain and sun shade stations erected within months will add special smiles to the mixed blessing smiles God gives me while writing. May the Kind Lord be much more kind to me and the trying souls. May God bless Showlove Trinity: let's learn, let's work, let's have fun.

By Jarga Kebba Gigo
An Activist and Transformer
Author of Juts Quhr-aahn