By Buba Gagigo
The Minister of Finance and Economic Affairs, Seedy Keita, has confirmed that the Social Security and Housing Finance Corporation (SSHFC), through its subsidiary, the Gambia Transport Service Company (GTSC), has purchased 70 buses at a cost of €9 million.
Minister Keita clarified that the government did not engage in any financial transaction with SSHFC or GTSC but merely advised SSHFC to procure the buses to address transportation challenges in the country.
“When that transaction was consummated, which was about nine million euros, we heard that translated to 70 buses. At this particular moment in time, there used to be transport strikes all the time in this country, school buses were not regularly available. Not to talk of underserved communities. So government is all about service delivery. That is why, in his wisdom (President Barrow), it was directed that Social Security (to buy the buses). Because this is a subsidiary that you managing, and they are in the transport sector,” Minister Keita explained.
He further noted that before this transaction, GTSC had independently purchased buses and provided transport services. However, their fleet was insufficient to meet public demand.
“That was why the government, practically advised Social Security to do this, and that came to 70 busses for 9 million euros. So the issue is, they said the government took a loan. There is no financial transaction between the government and Social Security or GTSC in this transaction. It is purely resources from Social Security to GTSC to procure bosses, the government is only sitting as a big brother overseeing the process,” Minister Keita told West Coast Radio.