By Kemo Kanyi
Jah Oil Company has rubbished allegations against its cement, oil, and farming enterprises across the country. Mr.Muhammed Hydara, General Manager, and the Company Proprietor Mr. Hamidou Jah refuted these allegations during their interview monitored on West Coast Radio, Coffee Time with Peter Gomez on Tuesday.
Mr. Muhammed Hydara said the initial accusation was the issue of capacity to meet the demand of the market.
‘’In regards to the cement, initially, when we started, the accusation was, we can’t meet the demand because we don’t have the capacity. Since then when you go around the country, you find our cement in the most remote villages people informed us that they used to buy a bag of cement for D500.00, but when we started reaching those communities, the price has gone down to as low as D390.00. So, to them, that’s a blessing,’’ Mr. Muhammed Hydara stated.
He affirmed that their factory stores are all fully piled up with cement. ‘’So, capacity is not our issue.’’
Mr. Hamidou Jah, the Proprietor of Jah Oil Company, said the company started as a wholesale, hence they understand the market very well. ‘’We know the consumption requirement of the Gambia’s Market because we have been in the cement market for a very long time.’’ He stated that the company can meet the demand of the market.
Shedding light on the quality of its cement, Mr Hydara said: ‘’We have so much trust in our quality to an extent we want people to come and have a sample test on the product to give us feedback. ‘’I cannot go farther on this issue, let the real contractors speak about that.’’
Also adding that the recommended quality for the OIC roads and the constructions at the University of The Gambia is 42.5R, which is the quality they have.
Commenting on the issue of quality of the company’s cement, Hamidou Jah tasked the doubters to test the quality and give feedback. ‘’If anyone has doubt about the quality of our cement, you can go and conduct a test on it anywhere. The National Roads Authority and some major contractors can also do the testing.’’
On the side of petroleum, MD Hydara informed that Jah Oil used to import petroleum products over the years and only distributes them among its substations across the nation, but now they have upgraded to a major trader—importing and reselling to other petroleum dealers in the country.
‘’Now we go out there, select the best quality petroleum product with the lowest sulphur content and the brightest. We are dealing in the best petroleum product that even the Europeans can sell in their markets,’’ the MD claimed.
Noting that their company as of today brings in vessels and that these products are all in Gambian bonded warehouses for onward sale to Gambian Petroleum Dealers at a prize they can retail.
