By Adama K. Jallow
The Vice President of The Gambia, Alieu Badara Joof Wednesday urged the Ministers of Trade, Finance, the Central Bank of The Gambia, Chamber of Commerce, business community and Gambia Ports Authority to put on some thinking caps to see how best they can address the issue of high cost of living in the country.
He made this called at the on-going two-day maiden cabinet retreat holding at the Sir Dawda Jawara Kairaba International Conference Centre, Bijilo. The retreat organised by Office of the Vice President is centered on various perspectives such as the civil service reforms, security, cost of living, employment, land issues, vocational training, foreign policies, environment, migration and tourism.
The Vice President emphasised that they are in a very difficult situation and it is impacting on the health and wellbeing of the people. He revealed that if the cost of living goes through the roof it could break marriages, create animosity in the family, because people will begin to have one meal a day instead of three meals and then people will become agitated and emotional because there is nothing in the pocket and it can lead to chaos and crisis.
The Vice President urged the ministers to apply strategic thinking to break up the high cost of living, adding that they have to be honest and be brave enough to take them on. “I know that when business is a profit driven, but it should not be at the expense of the majority of the lives of the Gambian people”, he said.
“Empower some people and give them all the initiatives so that the essential commodities like rice, sugar oil, flour can be brought in and damping the market, depress prices and bring them to the level of affordability so that Gambian people can survive” he urged.
