By Fatou Sillah
The Minister of Trade, Regional Integration and Employment (MoTIE), Baboucarr Ousmaila Joof, accompanied by senior staff of the Ministry, on Monday, January 16, 2023 commenced a five-day familiarisation tour of industries, agencies, and departments under his Ministry, as well as border posts of Amdalai, Farafenni and Giboro.
The Minister’s first stop on the familiarisation tour was the Salam Cement Factory along the Banjul-Serrekunda Highway. Speaking to the press shortly after a conducted tour of the factory, Hon. Joof stated that his Ministry has considered synchronising the industrialisation process with the country’s development.
“We did not just come here to look for errors or problems. We wanted to come in and share our expertise and experience with you to help a very genuine Gambian who has brought all he got and invested it in this country.
Mr. Muhammed Sillah, the proprietor of Salam Cement said that they produce steel pipes, tubes, rods, and cement in the country – a ‘made in the Gambia’ brand. Producing cement, he added, is very challenging work, but he assures that they produce quality cement.
Mr Joof commended the investor for complementing the government’s efforts in promoting the ‘made in The Gambia’ brand and promoting employment, industrial and economic development.
Hon. Baboucarr Ousmaila Joof also visited the Gambia Milling Corporation and Nessim Trading Company Limited Gambia in Banjul as part of his ongoing tour of industries in the country.
Commenting on the value of wheat and the country’s potential to grow it, Mr Joof observed that a lot of what we eat is connected to flour, yet the raw materials are not available in the country.
“Knowing that 60-70% of our food in this country comes from flour, I think that is one thing we have to look at as a government. The existing mills we have visited have the potential to provide the required flour throughout the country.”
Hon. Joof also visited the Weight and Measures Department in Banjul, where he had an indoor meeting with the staff.
The Minister also called on Gambians in the Diaspora and investors out there to come to The Gambia and invest in industrialisation to stimulate the economic growth of the country through trade.
The Trade Minister made this call on Friday, 13th January 2023, during his visit to Cashew Gam Company Limited in Brikama Kabafita, West Coast Region