The Gambian leader, His Excellency Sheikh Professor Alhaji Dr Yahya Jammeh has said that it is high time that The Gambia became a net exporter, observing the fact that the country has been a net importer for a very long time. 

He stressed the need for industrialization to be given a priority so as to be in tandem with the success registered in infrastructural development. Development, he said, cannot be sustained and the economy cannot expand if we do not go for industrialisation.  

President Jammeh was speaking yesterday afternoon at State House in Banjul, while presiding over the swearing-in ceremony of the new minister of Trade, Industry and Employment, Yusupha Kah,who was appointed on September 22, 2009. According to the president, as long as we continue to export only primary products, there is no way that we will be able to have a say in the way our produce are priced. He stressed that if we really want to maximize the returns from our produce, we have to process them and sell them as finished products. This, he said is the only way that we can have the power to fix our prices. 

"So we really have to look at what we produce because industrialization has to go in tandem with what we produce. You must have the industries that will process the raw materials that are locally available. But industrialization has to be based on national development requirements and the raw materials available," he said

President Jammeh went on to thank Allah for making the swearing-in occasion possible, and Yusupha Kah for accepting to take a very daunting challenge, saying the new minister has been a survivor from day one. He described him as a typical example of what he always says about faith; that anyone who has faith will continue to benefit from Allah's blessings. "He is also a typical example for the fact that the destiny of a human being is not in any other person's hand. He has always persisted, is never discouraged and I think he is somebody with a very strong faith in Allah. Today, the Almighty Allah decided to reward him for his patience, for he could have left. After all, he is the longest permanent secretary as far as I know," remarked the president.

The president went on to describe the Ministry of Trade Industry and Employment as a very important ministry, noting that sometimes people tend to underestimate the importance of trade in the government machinery. Without trade, he said, there cannot be a good economy. "So the Ministry of Trade is a very important portfolio because regional integration is hinged on that ministry," he said. The president observed that the ministry is sometimes misinterpreted as the sector responsible for employment. He made it clear that the department responsible for employment is the Personnel Management Office and the Public Service Commission. "So I think we should change employment to labour matters," he suggested.
After agriculture, which has the potential to create the largest number of jobs in the country, according to the president, industrial sector is the second largest employer .

Private sector
According to the president, some members of the private sector, who are supposed to be partners with government, are in the habit of over pricing their products to the detriment of the citizens, thus entrenching poverty. "This is not fair. We want to have a smooth relationship with the private sector as partners, but the behavior of some members of the Gambian private sector is unacceptable. And so if they really want a good working relationship with my government, they also have to subscribe to my belief that the people of The Gambia come first," he stressed.

If the trend continues, President Jammeh warned, the government may go into the business, noting that the buying and selling that they are doing can be done by anyone. "So it is up to them, to either behave or I will make them behave. There are times that they deliberately make sure that things are scarce so that they can hike the prices. This is not going to be accepted. This notion of free market policy where you cannot control prices is unacceptable," President Jammeh stated.

The president tasked the new Trade minister to call the private sector and have serious meeting with them for them to decide whether they are going to work with government as partners or against government and the people of The Gambia. He tasked Minister Kah to also talk to the foreign retail businessmen in the country, noting that his government will accept foreigners as long as theydo not against the interest of Gambians. "We will welcome anybody into this country apart from criminals and those who do not wish this country well. This country will not condone racism; it will not condone religious intolerance. I am not saying nobody should make profit but you cannot make thousand percent profit to the detriment of the consumers. This is unacceptable," he stressed. He finally warned them not to abuse the country's tolerance and hospitality.

Speaking earlier, the vice president and minister of Women's Affairs, Her Excellency Aja Dr Isatou Njie-Saidy, spoke about the track record of Minister Kah, describing him as one of the longest serving civil servants who has served in various capacities of the government both within and outside the country. "He has worked in various ministries and therefore has accumulated lot of experience when it comes to the public service," said Dr Njie-Saidy.

The vice president asserted that Gambians have continued to show their support to the president for the achievements, and therefore reminded the new minister that the expectations of Gambians are very high. Vice President Njie-Saidy, while praying for Allah's guidance and protection over the minister, in the execution of his duties, assured him of their support. For his part, Abdoulie Sallah, the secretary general and head of the Civil Service, congratulated the new minister for accepting the appointment, noting that the president has considered it befitting and proper to appoint Kah, that he will be able to execute the functions of the Minister of Trade, Industry and Employment.

Sallah told the newly appointed minister the two principles of cabinet, which he indicated are collective responsibility, as well as ministerial responsibilities. He urged him to familiarize himself with the cabinet manual that entails its procedures and responsibilities, and to work collectively with his colleagues in the realization of the common vision.

The secretary general further enjoined him to ensure a very cordial and close relationship with his permanent secretary, which he said is the minister's principal adviser. Speaking shortly after taking the oath of office, Minister Yusupha Kah thanked the Almighty Allah for the opportunity, and thanked the president for the trust and confidence bestowed on him. "I pledged my allegiance to you and pray for Almighty Allah's continued blessings, protection and guidance in the execution of my duties," he said. Minister Kah solicited the support and collaboration of his colleagues in unison to help the president achieve his vision of uplifting the standard of the lives of Gambians. 

He prayed for Allah's continuous blessings to the president so as to continue to steer the affairs of the country. The ceremony, which was administered by the secretary to cabinet, Dr Njogu Bah, was attended by other ministers.