By Kebba AF Touray
The Minister for Finance, Seedy Keita, has informed the National Assembly that a total of €11,257,830 is required to fully implement the Digital Terrestrial Television (DTT) transmission for the Gambia Radio and Television Services (GRTS).
Minister Keita made this statement on Monday, March 3, 2025, while responding to the Public Enterprise Committee (PEC) report on the performance audit of GRTS, the Social Security and Housing Finance Corporation (SSHFC), GAMTEL, and NAWEC.
Regarding GRTS, the committee recommended that the broadcaster procure digital equipment to accelerate the digitalization process. Minister Keita confirmed that GRTS now exclusively purchases digital equipment for both radio and television, stating that its TV studios are already producing HD pictures, while the radio service is available via satellite.
“Please note that a budget estimate of €11,257,830 is required to fully implement the DTT project,” he emphasized.
On SSHFC, the committee recommended that the corporation ensures employers remit monthly contributions on time to facilitate the timely payment of employee benefits. Minister Keita updated the assembly that SSHFC’s inspectorate unit actively enforces compliance with the SSHFC Act of 2015.
He further explained, “To ensure timely payment of benefits, SSHFC has launched Project 59, which pre-processes retirement benefits for employees turning 60 the following year. Additionally, a workflow system has been developed to expedite claims processing and minimize delays.”
Concerning GAMTEL, the committee recommended that the company establish a proper administrative framework by December 2024. However, Minister Keita clarified that GAMTEL already has a well-defined organizational structure with policies and procedures guiding its daily operations.
The committee also urged GAMTEL to collaborate with the Finance Ministry and the State-Owned Enterprises (SOE) Commission to recover outstanding debts from public institutions. Minister Keita reported that GAMTEL has been actively pursuing these debts.
“Recently, the commercial team dispatched final demand letters as reminders before initiating a disconnection campaign as a last resort,” he stated.
For NAWEC, the PEC recommended that all water treatment facilities should have functional chlorination plants. Minister Keita assured the National Assembly that almost all water treatment facilities, except for a few standalone units, have operational chlorination systems.
“We are expecting five additional chlorination plants, procured under the 2024 budget, which will be installed soon,” he concluded.
The Minister reaffirmed the government’s commitment to implementing these recommendations and improving service delivery in the country’s key public enterprises.
