All
traders within The Gambia are urged to confine themselves within the limits of
the Essential Commodities Emergency Powers Regulations, 2020 or get prosecuted.
In
joint press release from different government institutions, the general public
is being informed that pursuant to the proclamation of a state of public
emergency under section 34(1) (b) of the 1997 Constitution in response to the
COVID 19 pandemic, His Excellency the President of the Republic of The Gambia,
in the exercise of his powers under section 3 of the Emergency Powers Act
[Cap.17:04, Vol.4 Laws of The Gambia, 2009] has promulgated the Essential
Commodities Emergency Powers Regulations, 2020.
Under
these Regulations, the wholesale and retail prices of all essential commodities
are frozen to the prices they were sold in open market as at 18th March, 2020.
The essential commodities affected by these Regulations are: rice, maize,
millet, flour, sugar, milk, bread, chicken, eggs, meat, fish, cooking oil,
onions, tomato paste, potatoes, cement, soap and sanitisers.
The
Regulations also prohibit the hoarding of any essential commodity or imposing
conditions requiring the buying of other commodities or services as a condition
for the sale of an essential commodity.
The
re-export of all the above mentioned essential commodities and petroleum
products are also suspended for the duration of these Regulations.
An
Essential Commodities Committee (ECC) has been established for the strict
enforcement of these Regulations and consists of –
The Permanent Secretary Ministry of Trade, Industry, Regional Integration and Employment; Executive Secretary- Gambia Competition and Consumer Protection Commission; The Solicitor General and Legal Secretary; The Commissioner General, Gambia Revenue Authority; Inspector General of Police; The Director General of SIS; and The President, Consumer Protection Consortium, The Gambia.
Any
person who violates these Regulations is liable to prosecution and a fine of
five hundred thousand dalasis and the immediate suspension of his or her trade
licence, and its revocation upon his or her conviction. Accordingly, all
traders are encouraged to cooperate with the ECC in order to alleviate the
potential serious impact on the lives of ordinary Gambians in the light of this
pandemics
