I will start this update on the Gambian economy by quoting the following
from a speech by Bai Ndongo Faal, President of the Gambia Chamber of
commerce and Industry (GCCI). As you all know, this is not a government
agency and as such the views they express would be the views of the private
sector.
CEO Message
"The Gambia is poised to enter the twenty first century with an
unprecedented determination to transform itself into an industrialised
economy by the year 2020. This naturally calls for a responsive, dynamic,
and highly motivated private sector."
A)TRADE
Gambia's advantage vis-a-vis its neighbours, one of the most important being
its strategic possition within the Atlantic Trade Triangle. This makes it
ideally suited to serve as a hub to other ecowas states with a market of
over 300 million people and annual trade volume of up to $200 billion. The
Gambia trade gateway and free-port zones wants to do just that.
The Gambia Trade Gateway project and the Banjul Free-Port offers the
following: 24 hours port operation, one-stop-shop trade documentation
process, computerized port operations, plant availability second to none in
west Africa, state of the art navigational aids, a port with a total quay
length of about 750 Metres with a fixed ro-ro ramp, total uncovered storage
area of 38,000 sq. metres, 3,000 sq. metres of covered storage area, two
modern deep sea tugs (Jufureh and Lady Tuti) of 2,000 BHP on standby 24 hrs
a day, Buoy tender cum dredger and tug Tesito (both still functional inspite
of their ages) and pilotage from buoy no.5, 24 hrs a day.
Traffic through the port reached its highest (744,959 metric tonnes) in 1999
from (676,349 metric tonnes in 1998), representing an increase of about 10%.
Total registered traffic has registered an average annual increase of about
12% over the 5 years under review. Check it out.
1. CARGO THROUGHPUT ('000 Metric tonnes from 1993 - 1999).
1993 - (581,662), 1994 - (492,395), 1995 - (471,049), 1996 - (525,763),
1997 - (531,374), 1998 - (676,394), 1999 - 744,959).
2. IMPORTS (Metric Tonnes 1995 - 1999).
(1995) (1996) (1997) (1998) (1999)
Containers 106,495 116,695 139,588 177,484 205,952
Flour 19,982 22,344 24,254 31,564 32,444
Cement 79,356 64,863 98,608 121,627 123,911
Liquid Bulk 69,429 113,654 73,453 94,758 88,717
Rice('000) 93,909 99,264 79,763 77,509 108,291
Sugar('000) 41,964 38,873 52,201 81,446 105,492
EXPORTS OVER THE SAME PERIOD.
Containers 31,885 35,338 38,839 41,425 49,380
CONTAINER THROUGHPUTS and No. OF VESSEL CALLS (1993 - 1999)
1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999
Cont.(TP)20,569 16,673 14,827 17,521 19,660 25,240 30,003
Vessels 260 289 232 257 222 262 299
Inspite of increase in the average load per ship calls, ship turnaround has
improved.
Containers 17 moves per hour
General cargo 48 tonnes per hour
Bulk Cargo 1,000 metric tonnes per 10.5 hour shift.
Reference (GPA 1999 Annual Report).
B) AGRICULTURE.
Last week government launched a $7 point something million project to
improve horticultural production and productivity in GBA and Kombos. This
project is being jointly funded by the ADB and Government of The Gambia.
In another development, a survey by the U.N Food And Agricultural
Organization (UN FAO) and Norwegian government concluded that "our present
fisheries catch of 30,000 metric tonnes a year could be incresed to 200,000
tonnes of pelagic (surface) and demorsal (deep water) fish. The challenge is
to ensure that the catch is landed and processed in The Gambia". "In the
past, we exported bulk frozen fish without adding value. The best way to
maximise earnings is with value-added products", Says Mr. Ousman Drammeh,
Director - Dept. of Fisheries.
To this end, government is implementing an ecowas aerial surveilance system
to ensure that our fish resources are not plundered by foreign fishing
trawlers. Because of our small fishing fleet, Government is negotiating with
local entrepreneurs, foreign fishing fleets with technical know-how and
reputable Quality assurance test companies to embark on this major venture.
Government is also building a $12 million fishing port in Banjul.
I would like to mention also that there are now 5 companies that are
actively involved in the agriculture sector.
People peddling on the L the nonsence that the Gambian economy is in dire
straits and that poverty is rampant just don't know what they are talking
about. The economy has registered an average percentage growth in GDP of
5.3% between 1995-1999 and business is flourishing. Private sector
confidence is at an all time high and attitude towards non-white collar jobs
is changing. To have an idea of businesses operating in The Gambia may visit
the GCCI website at (www.gambiachamber.gm). If anyone has any evidence
contrary to my assertion that the economy is growing and better things are
yet to come can post the evidence.
In another development in 1999, Gambia moved up 2 places to 161 according on
the UN Human Development Index (ref. www.undp.org/hdro/98hdi1.htm). For
further information on the performance of the Gambian economy you may also
refer to the February 2000 edition of FOCUS, institutional Investor, written
independently by Nigel Dudley, a freelance journalist based in London, UK.
Mr. Dampha, from the above you can see how our growing population is
impacting negatively on all the gains that have been registered during the
past few years. Despite the overall increase in locally produced and
imported rice, demand is growing at an alarming rate. Imported rice incresed
by more than 12% (93.9 million metric tonnes in 1995 to over 105 million
metric tonnes in 1999). This growing demand for mallo cannot be sustained by
just importing. Rice imports must be complemented by local production,
however small. I also believe that public media programmes teaching people
how to other foodstuff such maize Benachine and maize cherreh should
intensified. In other words, we need to substitute some of our mallo-based
food intakes with some other foodstuffs such as cereals, plantain, cassava,
potatoes etc, etc.
Have a good day & bye 4Now, KB Jobe.
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