By Adama Makasuba
News reaching this medium has revealed that loaf of bread is costing D10.00 as against the normal price of D7.00 in some areas of the North Bank Region as residents of Niumi district complained.
Resident of the district said the price has been hiked up to ten dalasi while they called the government through Ministry of Trade to address the situation.
The residents’ complaint comes as government warned bakers against increasing cost on loaf of bread beyond 7 dalasi.
Bread is one of the most staple foods highly consumed by Gambians as scores of people highly rely on as breakfast and dinner in many parts of the country.
About two weeks ago, the country was hit by a shortage of bread after bakers strike over high cost of bag of flour which triggered intervention of the Ministry of Trade to reduced cost of flour and warned flour businesspeople to desist from exporting flour outside of the country.
The Ministry also advised bakers against hiking price of bread beyond the normal D7. But residents in Niumi said they are still subjected to buying a loaf of bread at D10 unlike the Greater Banjul Area where a loaf of bread stands at D7.
However, bakers in Niumi also complained of high cost of flour saying they don’t feel the reduction of flour as announced by the government, thus dismissed report placing their own prices on bread.
“It’s as if we are in a separate state. How can Kombo buying bread at a cheaper cost while we here in the rural Gambia buying it at a different and high price when we both share the country,” Ousman Sillah told this reporter who went to find out the debacle.
“Yes, it’s true. Even this morning (Tuesday) I bought a loaf of bread for D10 and we have no choice but to buy it,” he added.
The residents are calling on the Barrow-led administration to intervene and bring a lasting solution to high cost of staple foods and better the living standards of Gambians who voted him back to power.
