The management of Banjul Oxygen Company has strongly condemned a false local media publication, reporting the company was unable to supply enough oxygen to Covid-19 treatment centers during the height of the global pandemic.
Reported last week in a local media, the newspaper quoted the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of SRN Steels Gambia Limited Sanjay Kumar Sharma who stated that the Banjul Oxygen Company was unable to supply enough oxygen needed during the height of the Covid-19 pandemic, adding that the country faced serious shortages of oxygen resulting to complications for many patients.
“It’s false and misleading to say that Banjul Oxygen Company was not able to supply enough oxygen to the Covid-19, treatment centers. We produced two hundred and fifty (250) cylinders of oxygen every day, more than what the country needs daily,” Kwamla F Manly Elliott, CEO of Banjul Oxygen Company.
He added: “It’s a false fabrication to say that there was a shortage of oxygen in the country during the Covid-19, the period we supplied more than six thousand 6,000 oxygen cylinders to the Ministry of Health alone. So the submissions advanced by the CEO of SRN Steels Company are all false and far from the truth, Banjul Oxygen Company was producing enough oxygen and there was no single moment when oxygen was scarred in the country during the pandemic.”
The CEO of Banjul Oxygen Company disclosed that his company was supplying the Ministry of Health with oxygen on a credit basis with the understanding to ensure that oxygen is available at the Covid-19, treatment centers.
He noted that during this period Banjul Oxygen Company also bought a brand new generator costing over three million dalasi (D3 Million) as a backup power supply to the factory that will ensure continuous production of oxygen.
Kwamla F Manly Elliott disclosed that for over four decades his company has been producing enough oxygen in the country, adding that it is the only oxygen company that produces and supplies four different gases to the Gambian market at the most affordable prices without compromising quality.
“We are the only gas company in the country that produces and supplies four different gases namely, nitrogen gas, oxygen gas, carbon dioxide (Co2) gas, and acetylene gas. We can proudly say that we produce the best gas products in the country and so far, we are the cheapest throughout West Africa when you come to pricing he further disclosed.
According to him, Banjul Oxygen Company produces two hundred and fifty (250) oxygen cylinders in the country daily for more than what is needed by the country, adding that competition is acceptable in business but smear campaigns meant to taint the genuine image of their competitors is not healthy for any enterprise.
Seedy Grant, Administrator, Banjul Oxygen Company also reacted to the media report directed at his company, describing it as unfortunate propaganda orchestrated by unsuspected competitors who have no direction to go.
He stated that Banjul Oxygen Company is a reputable company that has been producing more than enough gas in the country for both clinical and industrial usage.
“To say that Banjul Oxygen Company can’t produce enough oxygen during Covid-19 is the most unfortunate propaganda our competitors can say. We have been producing enough oxygen for the country since our inception in 1986, so it is false and misleading to also say that oxygen was scarce in the country during the peak of the pandemic when we were producing enough for consumption,” Banjul Oxygen Company Administrator emphasized.
He added: “I can confidently say that during the pandemic most companies increased their prices on their products but we refused to increase our prices of oxygen because this company is Gambian owned and will not associate itself with any price increment that will make the situation hard for Gambians.”
The Banjul Oxygen Company administrator also disclosed his company’s plans of moving to its next level of intensifying acetylene gas production in the country, revealing that his company has already ordered a full container of calcium carbide in a bit to kick start the production of acetylene gas in the country.
He said the availability of acetylene gas in the country will go a long way in easing the difficulties faced by the construction industry, noting that so far, Banjul Oxygen Company has been the sole supplier of this precious gas to the contractors of the Trans-Gambia Bridge and the OIC conference center.
Seedy Grant, advised competitors to be genuine and sincere in promoting their products, adding that engaging in a smear campaign to tarnish the image and reputation of your competitors is cheating and dishonesty in business.
He assured that Banjul Oxygen Company will continue to produce, supply, and distribute quality gas to its teeming clientele without compromising standards, noting that no amount of smear campaign or propaganda can shake Banjul Oxygen Company in serving the Gambian people.
