The Gambia National Transport Control Association (GNTCA) has been banned from any involvement in the transportation sector in the country, a press release from the Trade ministry has announced.
“The Government of The Gambia wishes to inform the general public and all actors in goods transportation that the Gambia National Transport Control Association (GNTCA) is hereby banned from any involvement in the transportation sector in the country,” the release sent yesterday to this paper stated.
It said all GNTCA structures, controls, systems, tariff (not approved by Government), “are dismantled, dissolved and abolished”.
The release informed all traders, ‘locateurs’ and clearing/forwarding agents intending to transport goods out of the country, that “henceforth, Export Declarations shall be processed by The Gambia Revenue Authority (GRA) at the border exit posts to replace the manifest hitherto being issued” by the GNTCA.
“Stakeholders are, therefore, reminded that the Government of The Gambia shall spare no efforts in ensuring that all physical barriers and impediments imposed by non-Governmental agents in the smooth flow of trade within the country are removed,” the release stated further.
This, the release noted, is with a view to implementing a new dispensation to guarantee that trading activities and goods transportation through GRA, the seaport and other locations are conducted in a “free and transparent manner, free from any inhibitions imposed by associations/unions or other third parties”.
“Thus,” the release continued, “cargo owners and clearing/forwarding agents are duly informed that the queuing systems and other informal protocols imposed by the GNTCA for access to the Port of Banjul and other loading centers, tariffs, manifest fees, mandatory payment of ‘manda’, other fees levied for the transportation of goods within and outside the country are duly prohibited, and that interested parties are free to conduct their business transactions within the principles of free market, transparency and in compliance with the laws of The Gambia.”
