The Geology Department under the Ministry of Petroleum and Energy, embarked on a public sensitization mission appearing on Face the Nation hosted by Essa Jallow on GRTS, to sensitize the public on the misconceptions surrounding the price of construction sand in the country.
This mission is geared towards raising awareness on the construction sand value chain and the factors that determine its price in the country. The construction sand industry plays a vital role in The Gambia’s infrastructure development, however there is a lack of understanding about the value chain and the various factors that determine the overall price of construction sand in the market.
Speaking to Essa Jallow, The Acting Director of the Geology Department, Mr. Alieu Jawo, emphasized that the government of The Gambia sets the price of construction sand with the Gambian people in mind to ensure that it is affordable for all Gambians. Director Jawo disclosed that The Government agreed cost of construction sand on site for dredged sand at the Denton bridge is D475 per cubic meter, while sand at the inland sand quarries is at a fixed price of D220 per cubic meter.
In a survey conducted by the Geological Department, it was discovered that there was huge inflation on the market price of sand leading to its inaccessibility to some Gambians. Yankuba Darboe, a mining supervisor under the Geology department, noted that most Gambians are unaware of the true price of construction sand at the depots, so they are most likely to fall victim to the hiked price of sand.
In this regard, Director Jawo warned all Gambians that are in need of construction sand to be diligent in their dealings with sand vendors and truckers. “I understand that it is a business and the truckers need to make profit but it should not be at the detriment of the general public, there are so many players in between the sellers at the depot and the customers, these middlemen and facilitators each have to receive some payment for their services, this can lead to the sand being more expensive when it gets to the customers”.
In conclusion, he intimated that the Ministry of Petroleum and Energy and The Geology Department are mandated to serve the Gambian people, therefore, they want Gambians to be aware and to protect themselves from exploitation. The price of construction sand has been the same for over 3 years but the market value is increasing to the point that it is becoming unaffordable for the average Gambian.