The Ministry of Trade has said there is nothing much they can do to stop the rise in basic commodity due to hike in international supply chain.

The nation has been recently hit by a spike in basic food commodities which has caused public concern amid a trying time for many people forced out of work by the global coronavirus pandemic.

Seedy Keita, the Minister of Trade, said: “These prices are import driven from the external market over which the government has very limited control, but what the government can do is the internal factors that are within our capabilities.

“We can look at – but given that it only comprises only 20% of the increase [and] there is limited assurance that we can say that this price increases can be stopped altogether.”

The Gambia is a free market country which means there is no price control in the business market because traders are allowed to freely impose prices on their goods. 

Calls have been made for the government to introduce price control to help regulate rogue businesses taking advantage of  poor Gambians. 

Reporting by Adama Makasuba