By Adama Makasuba

As prices of goods keep fluctuating in The Gambia, minister of Trade, Industry, Regional Integration and Employment, Lamin Jobe, has said the country has moved away from price control.

Mr. Jobe was speaking to Gambiana in an exclusive interview during his visit to the GACH House in Banjulinding on Saturday.

“The Gambia has moved away from price control. We don’t control commodity prices as that is a policy matter but we are telling you that over the past twelve months basic commodity prices have remained stable. People just talk without knowing the actual facts on the ground,” he said.

He claimed that the government had discussed with the local industries in coming to a common term with the prices of goods, adding “the stock level are good and the price level have been stable over the period of time.”

Meanwhile, the reason for his visit to GACH, he said it is their “mandate” to visit the local industries and know their “constraints” and find practical solutions to the problems facing them.

 “We need to support our industries and prevent dumping from other countries, so we are here to see what they are doing, discuss with them and see all possible help that can come from us in policy level,” he said.

Mr. Jobe urged Gambians to accept local products and “patronize” the products, adding “let the youths accept to work and move away from sitting at homes for people to provide for them.”

He assured of government commitment to supporting local businesses to produce at a cheap price for the country.

He added: “We will encourage the local businesses to be able to produce…their cost of production may be low which will filter down to  the consumers then the living standard will go up.”