Speaking to The Point on this matter, some concerned Gambian businessmen have described the attitude of the Senegalese border customs officers as “unacceptable.”
They described this menace as betrayal to all the bilateral agreements signed between The Gambia and Senegal.
According to Sulayman Tambedou, a businessman, who was travelling to Senegal with his wife, his vehicle was impounded at the Amadai Border Post by Senegalese customs and asked to produce documents.
After producing the required documents including insurance of the vehicle, he said, the Senegalese customs went ahead and impounded his vehicle numbered: BJL- 8470 W.
Mr. Tambedou said he reported the matter to the Interpol and the Gambian customs at the border post but he is yet to get his vehicle back.
The cost of the vehicle is D1.3 million. “I lost this vehicle like that without any genuine reason,” he complained. “I definitely want the government to look into this matter and investigate what is happening around Amadali Border Post.”
Mr. Tambedou hinted that Gambians are really suffering in the hands of the Senegalese customs officers without any justification.
Kebab Bojang, another businessman and also a clearing agent, also narrated his ordeal with the Senegalese customs last week, concerning his vehicle which was under maintenance at one of the garages in Senegal.
According to Mr. Bojang, when his vehicle was set for pick up, he went with the vehicle’s insurance and lazier passer, but was asked to produce other customs entry documents.
As result of this, he decided to call the officer in charge of the Senegalese Customs, but to no avail. He said a serious argument ensued between him and the officers on the ground.
He said he later left for Banjul and upon arrival at the Gambia Ferry Services, he received a phone call asking him to go and collect his vehicle but he decided to go and collect the vehicle the next day.
According to Mr. Bojang, there were so many Gambian vehicles that were impounded at the Senegalese borders without any reason. He described this as “unacceptable” and a violation of ECOWAS protocols.
“Gambians are really suffering in the hands of the Senegalese customs officers at the Amadali Border in the name of so-called customs entry documents for Gambian vehicles going into Senegal,” Mr. Bojang stated.
In a related development, Mr. Bojang also disclosed that his wife, Yassin Savage, who was traveling with Emirates Airline from Dakar to Dubai transit place of destination China, at the Dakar Airport, while she was carrying 7,400 dollars, the Senegalese customs “illegally” took 1,500 dollars from her and shared the money in her presence.
