By: Kebba AF Touray
Minyang Jobe, Board Member and Project Coordinator for the GCCI’s (Gambia Chamber of Commerce and Industry) International Trade Fair Center, told journalists that the total cost of the Center is estimated to cost over nine million Dalasi.
Jobe disclosed this recently during an interview with journalists at the construction site of the said Center situated in Bijilo.
‘‘I cannot give you the exact amount because construction is still in progress. But we had an estimate from our contractor that the project will cost over D9 million dalasi. Today we have so far spent up to 6.7 million dalasi. With good fiscal discipline, we have managed to make some savings. The International Trade Fair Center has an estimated size of 200 square meters. This is much bigger than the size of the stadium where previous trade fairs were held.’’ Jobe said; that they are not only hoping to host trade fairs at the center, but it will be used as revenue generating center through fund raising programs such as gala dinners; that they are hopeful to recover the money spent in the construction of the site.
Speaking about the capacity of the center, Jobe said it will accommodate four hundred and fifty tents and will still be able to house an excess of four hundred others. Jobe said he cannot exactly say the time they will spend to recover the construction costs, but that their accountants have done the costing which he said will help them establish the recovery process within the period and as well strengthen proper fiscal spending.
On his part, GCCI President Edrissa Mass Jobe said with the change in their initial trade fair schedules, there will be minor changes adding that with the new ground, there will be several trade fairs with longer periods; that the ground belongs to them and it requires no payment.
“Sometime we should have the flexibility to give back to the sectors of businesses that do not have the capital especially the vulnerable groups such as young people and women.
This center belongs to us and the beauty of it is that it increases our flexibility and effectiveness in delivering trade fairs,” the GCCI president concludes.
