The vice president and minister of Women’s Affairs, Aja Dr Isatou Njie-Saidy on behalf of President Jammeh yesterday inaugurated the new US$5 million Brikama fish market project. 

The event was part of activities marking The Gambia’s 46th Independence Anniversary. The project is being sponsored by the Japanese government as part of a bilateral cooperation between the governments of The Gambia and Japan under the Japanese Government Grant Aid. Speaking at the inauguration, VP Njie-Saidy condemned the acts of irresponsible, financial mismanagement and laxity in the management of public facilities. She stressed that the fishing sector continues to occupy centre-stage in The Gambia government's agenda due to its huge potential to create thousands of jobs for people from all works of life, particularly young people, and the enhancement of better living standards for the people. 

The vice president explained that the sector presently contributes approximately 4.2 per cent of Gambia's GDP, and appealed to Gambians, particularly the beneficiaries to be steadfast to contribute to the increase of that figure. “I sincerely believe that we can make our fisheries resources contribute more than they are doing now if we capitalize on the opportunities created by this government,” she reiterated.  She expressed government's concern over the conservation of the country's fisheries stock, disclosing that recent statistics indicate that Gambia's fish stocks continue to decline, particularly the high-value dermasal species. This, she said, is partly due to the use of inappropriate fishing methods culminating in the extermination of juvenile fish, as well as poaching by unlicensed vessels and illegal fishing in the country's territorial waters by unscrupulous fishermen.

She also reiterated government's relentless efforts in creating the enabling environment for private sector participation in the development of the country's fisheries sector, making reference of the soon-to-be constructed Banjul fisheries jetty and the various incentives put in place by her government for investors in the fisheries sector. The vice president used the platform to appeal to the users of the facility to endeavour to use and maintain it properly so that it can last long enough to serve them and their children, while attributing its ultimate objective to poverty eradication. She also thanked the government and people of Japan for sponsoring the project.

The minister of Fisheries, Water Resources and National Assembly Matters, Lamin Kabba Bajo sounded the heroic efforts of President Jammeh and his government in bringing about robust development in the country, and described the realisation of the project as another fulfillment of the president’s visionary leadership. Malanag Dampha, the director of Fisheries described the opening of the facility as historic as it is the first time that such is coming to the country.