By Kebba Ansu Manneh
Mr. Buah Saidy, Governor of the Central Bank has warned against asking for foreign currencies to buy goods as illegal in the Gambia, adding that the legal tender in the country is the dalasi and not CFA franc or another foreign currency
He made the disclosure while responding to a question on Tuesday at the Central s Bank in Banjul at a briefing of the Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) meeting.
“Asking CFA franc to buy goods is illegal, like I said the legal tender is the dalasi, is not the CFA franc and we are not part of the CFA zone. So any businessman doing that is doing something against the law, and we (CBG) will soon issue a press release to that effect” Governor Buah Saidy warned.
He added: “We understand landlords are asking for rent payments in US Dollar or Pound Sterling foreign currencies that are not acceptable.
Rent in this country, the legal tender is the dalasi and anybody asking for such payment in foreign currency is illegal and we will go after you.”
Governor Saidy further disclosed that there some schools are also allegedly asking fees to be paid in either Pound Sterling and Dollars, warning that any school doing such activity should immediately desist from such as it is illegal and Central Bank will not rest on its laurels in tolerating illegal financial activity to take place in the country.
Responding to a question regarding Gambia Ports Authority (GPA) staff asking commercial vehicle drivers to pay crossing tariffs in CFA, CBG Governor maintained that anybody or institution demanding payment of goods and services in foreign currency is doing something illegal.
“Like I said, the legal tender in this country is the dalasi, if anybody asking for payments in foreign money is illegal. It is written on the dalasi notes whether is the D5, D10, D20, D50 D100 or the D200, the legal tender in this country is the dalasi that is what the governor and the deputy governor should sign without those two signatures the paper is worthless and no other currency,” CBG Governor affirmed.
He added: “The money signed by treasurer in US Janet Vallen is not a legal tender here likewise the Governor of Bank of England or Madam Christine Laggard at the ECD, the Euro. So there is no distinction between the legal tender in this country and the dalasi.
