The
Minister of Trade, Regional Integration and Employment, Dr. Isatou Touray has
said that the Gambia Milling Company (GMC) is making efforts to promote
industrialization in the country and create employment opportunities for
citizens as well as generate revenue, especially foreign exchange.
Trade
Minister made this remarks during an exclusive interview with reporters shortly
after a closed-door meeting with His Excellency, the President at Statehouse on
Monday. She said the government’s policy
is to protect industries when they invest in the country. She added that according to the records she
saw, a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) was signed between the Gambia Milling
Company and the Government of The Gambia that guaranteed it monopoly until
2018. However, the new government sent
out a press release, which stated that importation of flour was open to
everybody and that affected their sales and companies at large.
Minister
Touray stressed that the price of flour has been reduced and up to now bakers
have not reduced the cost of bread, so the impact of the reduction of flour is
not yet felt. She added that all these
issues will be revisited and they will discuss with the bakers to see how best
to reduce the price of flour. Minister
Touray also commented on the promotion of policies to reduce poverty. In a similar policy commitment, a period of 6
months was provided for women vegetable producers to sell their onions and
potatoes. This policy protects them as
well as contributes to poverty reduction in The Gambia.
Ralph.
L. Moss, Senior Vice President of Sebaard Corporation spoke keenly on their
readiness to work with the new Government.
He asserted that the environment is conducive for investors to
contribute to the improvement of the livelihood of the populace.
He
concluded: “We discussed a lot of things with His Excellency, the President in
all areas of developments and they are also ready to work with us as partners
in development.” State House press
