The uncontrolled price of commodities in the Gambia has sparked worry among Gambians as the country starts the holy month of Ramadan on Monday.

Lamin Jobe, Minister of Trade, Industry, Regional Integration and Employment told this paper on Saturday that the country has moved away from price control.

A month that the prices of staple foods such as rice, fish, meat, oil were expected to go down but instead have been steadily ratcheting up in the country.

Our reporter on Monday went out and about in Banjul city to get the reactions of people on the rising price of commodities in the month of Ramadan.

Fatou Jeju, a market vendor, who sells cassava leaves, said “my business is at a standstill because people don’t have interest in the leaves in this month of Ramadan.”

Mrs Jeju, a mother of seven said she is worried that other prices of commodities are rising, adding “what I sold today doesn’t reach 100 dalasi and I have to buy something to cook for my family.”

Modou Njie, a businessman, said a bag of rice that cost D1, 100 has been increased to D1, 200 and a bag of Irish potato has also increased from D450 to D850.

Nyima Khan, a customer, who comes daily at the market, said “there is no price control which is making living very hard for us.”

“It very hard on us the ladies everything in the market has been increased. At first chicken was 75 dalasi but now it has been increased to 80 dalasi and some single fish costs 100 dalasi,” she said. 

Another customer, Sainabou Njie, said the price of commodities is unstable, adding “a cup of rice cost 6 dalasi”.

Mrs Njie urged the government “to help them and stable the price of commodities in the market. We have no money…people are really poor and the prices of goods keep rising.”

Reporting by Adama Makasuba