The Gambia’s minister of tourism and culture, Hama Bah, has claimed that a bag of rice is cheaper in the country compared to other countries, as he ripped into businesses for price hike.

Rice is one of the staple foods in the Gambia and the most consume on a daily basis among locals.

Speaking at President Barrow’s peace award celebration at Buffer Zone on Sunday, Mr Bah defended the government for not responsible for the high food price in the country, while adding that the burden is a global challenge.

“The high cost of food is not only in the Gambia, but it is all over the world,” he said.

He blamed the business community of price hike while saying that even the local agricultural produces are more expensive than imported foods.

“The locally agricultural produces are even more expensive than the imported foods which is not right. Ramadan is coming and you wait until Ramadan then you increase prices that’s very bad,” he added.

“If you go to other countries and ask for a price of a bag of rice and compare it to a price of a bag of a rice in the country then you will realise that a bag of rice is cheaper in The Gambia,” he claimed.

Reporting by Adama Makasuba