By Modou Kanteh
As the Muslim community head into Islamic feast of Eid-ul-Adha, in about a week’s time The Gambia Livestock and Marketing Agency (GLMA) said it has put in place everything that would ensure the smooth sale of animals in the country.
In an exclusive interview with Gambia Daily, Momodou Darboe, Director General of GLMA said the agency made sure that everything was requested by animal sellers at the central abattoir in Abuko including water and electricity supply, and toilets are fixed. The GLMA boss revealed that the agency had written to stakeholders like Gambia Ports Authority, Banjul City Council, Kanifing Municipal Council, and Immigration Department and they agreed to make it easy for people coming into the country with animals; “so that they do not pay anything or where there is payment, it would be minimal.”
The GLMA director said the authorities are doing everything possible to encourage more cattle, ram and sheep dealers come to do business during this important Muslim feast of Eid-ul-Adha. According to Mr. Darboe, the agency has also embarked on several sensitisation activities through various media outlets across the country to sensitise people on this year’s Tobaski ram sale, adding that the agency is doing everything possible to make more animals available. “If we have more people bringing animals, I believe the prices would not be very high,” he concluded.
He attested that officials from the Department of Livestock Services are also making sure all the animal entering the Gambia are disease-free.