By Nelson Manneh
Gambia Suppliers’ Association, GSA, have called on Government to award contracts to Gambian and Gambian owned Companies.
The GSA is a registered association established to unify suppliers and enlighten members and stakeholders on the strategies in supplying goods.
The Suppliers’ Association management made these statements in a press conference on Friday 22nd December 2017, at the St-Therese’s Upper Basic School in Kanifing.
In his remarks, Mr. Edward Gomez the president of the association said the main aim of the association is to bring all Gambian suppliers together under one umbrella.
“The main purpose of the Association is to fight for each other’s rights in the award of contracts and other issues of concern to members, as we operate in the same field,” he said. Mr. Gomez said Gambian suppliers are marginalized when it comes to giving out contracts.
“We want to promote small business holders in the country in order to achieve progress. We have attended various trainings with the GPPA and they are the ones who give us the idea of forming an association in order to help one another,” Gomez said.
Mr. Kebba Dem, Vice President of the Association said when people come together as one it is easy for them to overcome certain challenges in life.
“This Association is formed to work in accordance with the GPPA Act and to enlighten its members on their rights especially in connection with the rights of suppliers” Dem said.
Mr. Dem added that Government should consider them when it comes to giving out contracts on supplies; that it is always difficult for most of them to get decent contracts from Government.
“Most of the Government contracts are given to the foreigners who at the end of the day, send repatriate profits back to their countries. As for us the profit we make goes nowhere. I am not saying that they should not give it to them but they should consider us too,” he said.
Musa Sambou another member of the Association dilated on the challenges they are face with.
“We should be considered by now. This Association is formed to overcome the challenges faced by the suppliers in the country,” he said
Mr. Sambou added that the membership of the association is on the increase every day and therefore urged other suppliers to register with them, particularly those with small businesses.
