The Gambian government blamed port congestion for the cement shortage, but that explanation is complete garbage, according to critics who say Adama Barrow just handed Jah Oil a near-monopoly to reward political connections. The Ministry of Trade and Jah Oil both claimed that docking restrictions delayed shipments, which turned out to be false since there is no actual cement manufacturing happening in The Gambia.
Small importers used to bring cheaper bagged cement across the border from Senegal, but the administration slapped them with duties that basically killed their businesses. Bulk cement costs way more because it comes from outside the region and racks up extra fees, while the Senegalese stuff was dirt cheap by comparison.
The whole crisis could have been avoided if the government cared more about regular people than about keeping Jah Oil profitable, and the port dredging excuse falls apart when you realize small-scale suppliers never needed the port anyway.
Small importers used to bring cheaper bagged cement across the border from Senegal, but the administration slapped them with duties that basically killed their businesses. Bulk cement costs way more because it comes from outside the region and racks up extra fees, while the Senegalese stuff was dirt cheap by comparison.
The whole crisis could have been avoided if the government cared more about regular people than about keeping Jah Oil profitable, and the port dredging excuse falls apart when you realize small-scale suppliers never needed the port anyway.
