High inflation!


 People from all walks of Gambian life have lamented the high price rises of 
essential commodities like rice, sugar, cooking oil, soap, milk. A random 
survey conducted by The Independent recently suggests that the escalation in 
commodity prices is a weekly problem for housewives, husbands, officer 
workers, students, shopkeepers and even journalists. For Awa Fofana coming to 
terms with the price rise as a housewife is a daily ordeal. “Women like me 
are feeling the pressure because every day we go to the market to shop and 
cook for the family with the little fish money in hand” she said. She said 
the scenario is doing more harm than good to the less fortune ones in 
society. “Every where you go people complain about this same thing. I am 
calling on the president to help us” she said. Kaddy Sawanneh a computer 
student said: “I don’t know where we are heading to now. Everything is 
expensive, even the cheapest things are now expensive to buy”. She said she 
was that when a new government takes over the situation would have improved. 
“But things are the same. Let the government come with new measures to 
address the situation” she suggested. Yaya Saho defending the upping of 
commodity prices by fellow shopkeepers said the situation is due to the fact 
they were bought at outrageous prices by traders, who have no other 
alternative if they want to stay in business. “All traders look for profit. 
It was never our intention for prices to go high” he argued. However, Tapha 
Gaye a health officer implored traders to show mercy on the majority of poor 
Gambians who are prone to suffer seriously from the situation. He said the 
situation is depressingly worrisome and needed a tough intervention from the 
government. “We are having a soap factory in the country so why the need to 
increase the price of soap to D3” he lamentably inquired. Juldeh Sowe a 
journalist also argued that traders should not only follow their interest but 
should look into the concerns of the masses. “This kind of situation can 
destroy the Gambian economic” he warned. He said a bag of rice, which 
initially cost D230 has now been increased to D250. “Definitely the prices 
are too high,” he said.In a related but separate development, passengers 
commuting major towns also expressed concern over the “exorbitant” fare 
increment but called on the government to take action. 
    
    

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