By Sulayman Waan
Some staffs of the closed Banjul Breweries Company Limited have continuing to dismiss that claim that Gambia government is planning to rescue the company from completely shutting down.
“There is no sign of the multimillion-dollar company coming back to services under because they sold all the materials already,” one of the staff claimed.
According to him he said there is no sign that the company is going to be rescue by the government hence the pant (manufacturing room) is empty, while all the machines are cut into scraps.
Another former staff of the company revealed that Jah Oil Company Limited has bought most of the materials from the company including the fuel tanks, forklift drawers, Co2 tanks and among others, adding Banjul Breweries has also sold all the manufacturing equipment to a Senegalese businessman.
“There is no way the French company would come back for operation after selling their materials. Also, all workers have been sent away, all vehicles including a truck, tractor and other official cars were sold to the former workers in a very cheap prize,” source disclosed.
For now, the only people that remain there working are the security personnel and few people at the finance department.
But when contacted for comments, the Minister of Information, Ebrima Sillah said: “the cabinet subcommittee responsible for resolving the tax clash between Government and the drink producing company had been talking to the company’s management on several issues including the tax reduction.”
He added that the soft drink part of the company has been sold to a Gambian businessman and if the company is to sell anything it should be in the best interest of the country.
The Gambia Government in 2018 imposed high tax increment on Banjul Breweries Ltd, the only brewery and producers of Julbrew beer and non-alcoholic drinks. It finally closed operation due to low income despite reduced of excise tax by government last year.
Over 200 people lost their job from the company and many have also complained of high prize of drinks in the country since the company closed.
