By Kemo Kanyi
Former top government official has called for austerity measures to address the high cost of fuel affecting citizens.
Mr. Lamin Camara, the former Permanent Secretary at the Ministry of Finance and Economic Affairs has urged the Gambian government to apply austerity measures towards solving problems resulting from high cost of fuel.
In an article shared with The Voice on Tuesday, Camara said the government collects about D16.00 per litre in revenue from fuel while claiming a subsidy of about D500 million for April and May.
He questioned the total revenue generated from fuel sales during the period, arguing that the government is “taking from the same source it claims to be subsidizing.”
Camara proposed reducing the D16.00 revenue margin to D6.00 per litre, which he said would lower pump prices by D10.00, and called for austerity measures to offset the resulting revenue loss.
He suggested the reintroduction of a strict government vehicle policy to limit fleet size to essential operations, alongside a reduction in fuel allocations and allowances for public officials.
Camara said some officials receive excessive fuel allocations, citing his experience at the Ministry of Agriculture where ministerial fuel allocations exceeded D40,000 monthly, excluding additional provisions from other sources.
He warned that such practices disconnect officials from the economic realities faced by ordinary citizens.
The former Permanent Secretary also called for a review of the national budget, citing the proliferation of agencies, commissions and centres, which he said increased government spending through subventions.
He recommended streamlining some of these institutions under their parent ministries to reduce costs.
Camara further urged tighter controls on official travel, stating that frequent trips by ministers, often with high per diem allowances, place additional strain on public finances.
He maintained that implementing these austerity measures would offset revenue losses from reduced fuel charges without significantly affecting fiscal stability.
Camara warned that failure to act could worsen the economic situation, as rising fuel prices would impact on essential commodities and utilities, including tariffs by the National Water and Electricity Company (NAWEC), thereby affecting livelihoods.