By Bakary Touray Jr.
The International Organization for Migration (IOM) will support and train two hundred and forty-five (245) returnees, were the words of the Minister of Finance and Economic Affairs of The Gambia.
Minister Mambury Njie made the promise on Friday, 6th December 2019 during the Budget Speech at the Legislative House in Banjul. He informed deputies that the Ministry of Trade has collaborated with the Gambia Investments and Export Promotion Agency (GIEPA) and the Gambia Chamber of Commerce and Industry (GCCI), to set up a Business Incubation Center which would help enhance capacity in entrepreneurship and leadership skills, and create an estimated 500 jobs for the youth of this country.
He asserted: “GIEPA continues to get support from the Entrepreneurship and private sector development project being funded by the UNDP, to conduct entrepreneurial training. This program will help settled returnees reintegration into Gambian society through the IOM.”
On Information and Communication Infrastructure, the Minister disclosed that the national broadband network seeks to address connectivity problems and increase access in rural areas.
The project, he went on, provides 400km of national fiber optic infrastructure complementing over the existing 900km under the ECOWAN Project.
“The Works Ministry has secured funding to the tune of US$50 million from Saudi Fund for Development, for the construction of 50km of urban roads within the Greater Banjul Area, in preparation for the forthcoming Organization of Islamic Conference (OIC)”, he told the Assembly, while expounding on the areas of Transport, Works and Infrastructure.
He recalled that in February 2019, an ultra-modern cargo complex was commissioned and is fully functional. That upon completion of these works, “the Airport will have the capacity to handle up to 500,000 passengers per annum”.
Njie further said the government of The Gambia, through the Trade Ministry, is working on the introduction of an Electronic Cargo Tracking System (ECTS) and a Road Cargo Tracking System (RCTS), for transit trade.
He believed these tracking systems would be beneficial to both the Gambia Revenue Authority and Gambia Ports Authority in enhancing revenue mobilization and boost re-export trade.
On Petroleum and Energy, he reported that Government has successfully completed negotiations, which resulted in the signing of a petroleum exploration development and production, and license with the British Petroleum, thus increasing the number of licensing operators to three, namely, FAR, PETRONAS and BP.
“The Geological Department continues to collaborate with the ECOWAS, on the development of a legal and regulatory framework of the mining sector.
“Recently, the ECOWAS Model Mining and Minerals Development Act (EMMMDA), has been adopted with the recommendation that all ECOWAS Member States align their Mining Legislations to the Model Act,” the Minister conveyed to the National Assembly.
