By: Nicholas Bass
Scores of middlemen operating at Jimpex commercial hub have refuted allegations that they are behind the rising costs of building materials.
Instead, they claim that price hikes are caused by business owners and not by intermediaries.
Speaking in an interview with the Voice, the middlemen argue that they merely pass along prices given by the dealers and have no control over prices. They also pointed to internal business group chats among sellers as platforms where prices are coordinated, sometimes within hours, highlighting how quickly price changes are implemented by the business community.
According to Muhammad Bah, a middleman from Jarra, the accusations directed at middlemen are unfounded.
“Middlemen do not increase the prices of building materials. It’s the dealers who do. But they blame us because they don’t want to pay our rightful commission,” Bah claimed.
He also revealed that some of the business owners, mostly foreign nationals, have been reported to the Kanifing Police Station over disputes regarding unpaid commissions.
Modou Nyang, another middleman from Dippa Kunda, took a slightly different view, stressing the need to support middlemen in setting up their own businesses, while acknowledging that profit-making is the goal for any business.
“People claim we inflate prices, but that’s not the reality. The real issue is that many Gambians don’t trust middlemen and that lack of trust is affecting our role in the building materials trade,” Nyang added.
However, not all business players share the same perspective.
Tony Kumar, an Indian businessman at Jimpex, alleged that some middlemen are damaging the sector by inflating prices.
“Some middlemen double the price of building materials just to add their commission. While some support business growth, others are making it difficult,” Kumar stated.