By Ramatoulie Jawo
The Minister of Interior, Hon. Abdoulie Sanyang, disclosed on Tuesday that his ministry is in discussions with relevant authorities to extend the validity period of driver’s licenses from one year to three years.
During a question-and-answer session at the National Assembly, Hon. Sanyang responded to an inquiry from Hon. Alhagie Babou Ceesay, the member for Sabach Sanjal, regarding the ministry’s plans for extending driver’s license validity.
“The Ministry of Interior is consulting with the Gambia Police Force and the Attorney General’s Chambers, Ministry of Justice, to gazette the extension of the driver’s license validity period from one year to three years,” the minister stated.
He further explained that under Section 27(3) of the Motor Traffic Act, Chapter 70:03, Volume 10 of the revised laws of The Gambia 2009, a driver’s license issued by the licensing authority is valid for three years, while a provisional license for learner drivers is valid for three months.
“This restriction makes it impossible for the licensing authority to issue a driver’s license with a validity period of less than or more than three years. The current fee for a driver’s license is also expensive for the average citizen and resident,” he added.
The minister mentioned that his ministry is working to amend Section 27(3) to allow the public to choose a driver’s license validity period that suits their needs and is affordable, through regulations under Section 93(1)(J).
Hon. Assan Touray, the member for Bakau constituency, highlighted the difficulties motorists face in obtaining driver’s licenses due to a lack of available cards. He asked about the steps being taken to address this issue and the status of the contract with Semlex.
In response, the minister stated that the contract between the Government of The Gambia and Semlex Group ended on March 22, 2024. The government is now responsible for issuing driving licenses and has engaged Margins ID Company Ltd as a supplier for essential items, including card laminators and ribbons.
“Printing of new driver’s license cards and non-chip cards began in mid-August 2024, resulting in 10,000 driver’s licenses being produced. Currently, there is a backlog of 15,000 driving licenses awaiting printing. The production of driver’s licenses and non-Gambian ID cards is ongoing. The Ministry of Interior and the Ministry of Finance have launched a bidding process for a public-private partnership for the production of national documents, and interested Gambian companies have submitted their applications,” he concluded.