Mr Joof, while visiting the Giboro/Selety Border on Monday, stated that its Ministry is currently working with ECOWAS about the creation of a joint border with Senegal “and Giboro will be a great candidate for such an investment”.
He, however, noted that the infrastructure at the border needs a lot to be desired as it still makes the job difficult. “We also understand that some of the policies encourage cross border trade; be it export or transit, which is currently hampering some issues that we are facing at the other side of the border.”
“It was good we went there, and we saw some trucks being delayed at the border, which is not auguring well for international trade,” he explained.
Notwithstanding, he commended officers at the border, saying: “They are doing a great job, but they need a very more conducive environment.”
On the joint border post, he expressed that the idea of a joint border post, which has already been tried by ECOWAS in other countries, is a concept to replicate “in which Giboro will be a great candidate”.
The Minister and his delegation were taken on a conducted tour of the Giboro Border by Inspector Hatab Jallow of the Gambia Immigration Department (GID) and Commissioner AK Janneh of Customs and Excise.
Also, he was joined by officials of the Giboro Border Post to visit the Senegalese officers at the Selety Border Post for inspection of the border, and also had a brief meeting with both officials before a final meeting at the Giboro Border Post with Gambian officers at the post.
Minister Joof was accompanied on the tour by some senior officials from his Ministry, including the permanent secretary, deputy permanent secretaries, technicians, and some senior officials of different institutions from GIEPA, Weight and Measure, GCCPC, PSSE, Standard Bureau, GCCI, Immigration, Gambia Transport Union, ECOWAS representative and Cashew Alliance among others.
