By: Nyima Sillah
The Vice President of The Gambia, Dr Isatou Touray, has urged government institutions to invest in local industries in a bid to help them grow rapidly for socio-economic improvement.
This mentioned institutions included but not limited to the Ministry of Trade, Gambia Investment and Promotion Agency, Gambia Chamber of Commerce and Industry.
Speaking to reporters after a conducted tour at the on-going GCCI’s International Trade Fair holding in Brusubi, she said stall operators have talked about access to their clients and she has seen some innovative ways which she believes the private sector and some of their partners will focus more attention for improvement.
“I have seen a new industry, a new Gambia which is responding to the global order. I urge the Ministry of Trade and GIEPA including the private sector, GCCI and others to seat and have conversations to agree what sort of labs we need, equipment or machinery we need for the process to go on and to make sure that we incubate them,” she informed the press.
“We have incubators and there are incubation centres, now is the time and I think we are ready to move (but) only when the equipment is available. I urged our partners, the donors, private sector to please make available resources and invest in these areas to improve the quality and standard with support to the rural people to produce maize, millet and also be able to feed the ram they are selling. I think we need to take bold steps to move this country forward,” she added.
The vice president believed that the Gambia can have the biggest market, saying this is the diamond and people need to focus in agriculture and add values to our products, strengthening the people, and working together as the opportunity is already given – “The political will is there but we can only achieve our dreams when we have a peaceful environment.”