The
Gambia National Transport, Agriculture, Food and Industrial Workers Union has
again voiced out its frustration over the way the Ministry of Trade, Industry,
Regional Integration and Employment handles issues of the union.
The
union organised a press conference at its offices, located at the premises of
the Gambia Red Cross Society at Westfield on Wednesday.
Ousman
Drammeh, president of the union, said the existence of the union, established
in 1986, is “under serious threat” now due to the Ministry of Trade’s
“continued suppression” of its activities.
He
said since February, the union has not been able to do anything as regards the
operations of commercial trucks in the country.
“The
Ministry of Trade continues to marginalise Gambian trucks in favour of
Senegalese, Lebanese and Mauritanian trucks.
“Gambian
truck drivers, for the past months, continue to face serious problems as the
support of the ministry is not forthcoming.”
The
president of the union said the behaviour of the ministry shocked and surprised
him.
“I
keep wondering why favour drivers from neighbouring countries and ignore our
own drivers,” he lamented.
According
to Mr Drammeh, the issuing of manifests to truck drivers at the Gambia Ports
Authority is now in the hands of Senegalese authorities.
“The
minister [of the Ministry of Trade] is fully aware of this, but he is keeping
quiet and when we talk about it, he would not listen.”
Drammeh
further accused the ministry of denying the transport union’s its
responsibility of issuing manifests to cargo brokers.
“This
is why the Gambian truck drivers are finding it difficult to transport merchandise,
while their Senegalese counterparts are given total control at the Gambia Ports
Authority.
“I
cannot still understand why the ministry is denying us from executing our
duties as executive of the union.”
Mr
Drammeh’s executive was elected into office at a congress held on 24 April
2016, when the then transport association was dissolved by the government.
“During
the congress, we adopted a document on the recommended working conditions, as
per the Labour Act. The document was
later forwarded to the Ministry of Trade for consideration, but they said they
will developa standard one;up to now we yet to hear from them.”
“The
minister of Trade should understand that the powers vested on him as the
minister under the Labour Act does not warrant him to lobby or organise unions
or interfere with their work.”
Drammeh
said because of the Trade ministry’s denial of the operation of the transport
union, more than 100 commercial truck drivers are sitting down, for the past
four months, without any work to do.
Kebba
Masanneh Ceesay, secretary general of the Gambia Labour Congress, said the
minister of Trade should understand that he is working under a ministry that is
tasked to create, and not to discourage jobs.
“The
transport union is very interested in ensuring that the rights and welfare of
Gambian drivers is looked after,” he said.
Meanwhile,
at the press conference, one after the other, the truck drivers lamented their
frustration with the way their issues are being handled by the ministry of
Trade.
