By: Nyima Sillah
The Gambia Chamber of Commerce and Industry Wednesday donated D1.6million to eight councils in the fight against Covid-19 pandemic in The Gambia.
Edrissa Mass Jobe, Chairman Board of Director GCCI said each of the councils will received a cheque for D200.000 to help operate the “Lumoos” in accordance with government guidelines on market opening and respecting the advice from the Minister of Health on social distancing.
He pointed out that, Covid-19 pandemic constitutes an unprecedented adaptive challenge to the Gambia and the socio economic consequences are exacerbated by extreme poverty, lack of social safety net, insufficient health infrastructure and administrative inadequacy from years of autocracy.
According to him, when the first case of Covid-19 was registered in Senegal, GCCI evolved a coordinated and comprehensive strategy to deal with the emergency to support the health emergency needs of the Ministry Of Health and hospitals. He said this was done by raising funds and fast implementation to avoid any diversion of funds and off-strategy activities that would divert attention away from national covid-19 response headed by MoH.
He assured that GCCI will also continue to support the economic activities by providing professional support to the government and maintain availability of basic goods especially food and also prepare the ground for the recovery.
Chairman Jobe further explained some activities GCCI have undertook as parts of their first intervention which are helping government to repair and equip sanitarium and other places identified by the Minister. He added that with assistance from UNDP they already commenced work with prison services, too.
Alieu Secka, Chairman of GCCI expressed gratitude to the business community that has contributed in fighting against Covid-19. He disclosed that so far from from the D20million they received, D15million had been pledge, D40million has collected in cash and deposited in the GCCI dedicated account for covid-19 and the second part of the contribution has come from the UNDP who have donated D3million motor van to the prison and the final contribution was from Taf Global which was identified as a contribution to Nyman Clinic rehabilitation.
Mr Secka further highlighted on how some of the money were spent.
