By Amadou Jadama
Vice President Mohammed BS Jallow has disclosed that major obstacles such as aging infrastructure and operational inefficiencies contributed to a worrying decline in trade traffic and revenue collection at the Port of Banjul.
He was speaking on Friday during the official launching of the Trade Logistics Charter held at Sir Dawda Kairaba Jawara International conference center.
Deputising for President Adama Barrow, he continued:
“The Port of Banjul, the country’s primary gateway to the world has been facing significant challenges in the recent years. Among other issues, the challenges include aging infrastructure and operational inefficiencies. Such major obstacles have contributed to a worrying decline in trade traffic and revenue collection”.
He said with this recognition and the urgency to act, government has committed itself to addressing these shortcomings head on. “Apart from our investment partnership with Albayrak to improve the infrastructure at the Port of Banjul and build a new deep seaport in Sanyang, my office has been working in partnership with key government ministries and agencies to take positive action,” he said.
He further disclosed that the Gambia Revenue Authority and the Gambia Ports Authority are chief players in this collaborative relationship, adding that with the invaluable support of the Tony Blair Institute for Global Change, the charter was successfully developed.
“This charter will to act as foundation for improving the operational efficient of our port and trade ecosystem. By the same token to ensure that we jointly regain lost revenue and secure a brighter and more competitive future for the Gambia. The Trade Logistics Charter is more than a document, as some may believe. It is a framework meant to bind all stakeholders within the trade community, and it sets out specific key performance indicators that we will seek to achieve,” VP Jallow stated.
According to the Vice President, through this framework, they are determined to streamline Customs processes, optimise the management of physical assets and ensure effective coordination across various government agencies. He added that the Gambia Revenue Authority, the Gambia Ports Authority, the Security Forces, Customs and Immigration are part of the loop.
VP Jallow concluded by calling on Gambians to take ownership of the charter and commit to its success, saying that together they can “surely build a trade logistics ecosystem that would drive The Gambia’s prosperity and create a brighter future for all Gambian citizens.”
