(Thursday September 01, 2016 Issue)
Barely
two weeks before the Muslim feast of Tobaski, the Ministry of Trade, Industry,
Regional Integration and Employment (MoTIE) Monday held a meeting with
stakeholders in the livestock sector to address the issues of availability and
affordability of rams in the market for buyers.
The
stakeholders in the meeting included the Gambia Livestock Dealers Association,
the Gambia Livestock Marketing Agency, the security forces and other
stakeholders in the livestock sector.
The
purpose of the consultative meeting was to meet and brainstorm on common issues
of interest affecting the free movement of dealers and their animals into the
country, as well as the pricing of animals and meat ahead of the Tobaski feast.
Speaking
at the forum, the Trade Minister, Abdou Jobe, said the meeting is an annual
consultation with livestock dealers to see how as a government they could make
rams available, accessible and affordable during the Tobaski season.
The objective of the forum is to make sure
that as a government they facilitate the availability and fair sale of rams
during the Tobaski feast, he said.
Also
speaking at the meeting was the Director of Technical and Field Services at the
Gambia Livestock Marketing Agency (GLMA), Ebrima Cham, who spoke on the issues
surrounding the betterment of livestock and Tobaski ram sales, in particular.
He
called for collective effort to ensure smooth movement of dealers and livestock
into the country.
According
to Mr Cham, this type of consultative meeting is a step in the right direction
in the sense that it involves all the players coming together, to discuss and
identify the causes together and come up with solutions to address some of the
difficulties that affect the free flow of animals into the country.
The
deputy Chief Executive Officer of KMC, Samba Gagigo, who also spoke at the
meeting, said ram dealers would be allocated special areas for sale of their
animals, such as around the Independence Stadium, GTMI and the Social Security
Building in the Kanifing Municipality as well as the Central Abattoir in Abuko.
On
security, Commissioner Badjie of the Gambia Police Force assured all of a safe
and secure business environment.
The
Director of Ferry Services, Jerry Jammeh, spoke on the need for collaborative
effort for an effective and efficient transportation of livestock during the
period leading to the feast.
The
Gambia Livestock Owners Association president, Ebrima O. Jallow, said the
meeting was very important, as many issues have been discussed to facilitate
the movement of dealers and their animals into the country.
Mr
Jallow revealed that they now have district livestock owners, regional and
national, adding that they are doing their best to see that they involve people
in sheep and animals fattening, as well as in milk production.
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