By: Kemo Kanyi
The Gambia government, through the Ministry of Trade, Industry, Regional Integration, and Employment, has instructed the entry of cement trucks that were intercepted at the Gambia/Senegal border for weeks.
The government and importers of cement from Senegal were locked in a standoff over the government’s decision to increase the levy on a bag of cement from D30 to D180.
The trade ministry has now instructed the immediate release of all cement trucks currently held at the border to alleviate the stockpile situation there.
A statement from the ministry said this gesture is not permanent and that restrictive measures will take effect after it.
“However, it’s important to note that this action is a one-time gesture aimed solely at clearing the existing backlog. The existing measures for bagged cement imported into The Gambia will remain in force immediately after the release of the current load of cement trucks,” read the statement.
The ministry clarified that the initiative does not signify any alteration or lifting of the current import measures for bagged cement.
“These measures will be strictly enforced once the backlog at the border has been resolved,” it stated.
The backlog was precipitated by the government’s decision to protect local cement industries by slamming a hefty tax on imported cement from Senegal and it generated both praise and criticism for the government from a section of the Gambian society.
While some saw it as necessary for the protection of local industries and the creation of employment opportunities for the citizens, others argued that the government was attempting to protect bigger businesses against struggling ones.
