Impact of closure of TAJCO

By Muhammed Sailu Bah A week after an executive directive from state house declared Hussein Tajudeen, the proprietor of TAJCO,  persona non grata and ordered his business to be closed down, the people who are working for him have expressed their concerns regarding the development.Mr. Tajudeen, a Lebanese national, is a major importer of rice, flour, sugar, chicken, canned food, beverages, etc. Recently visiting the TAJCO office at Picton Street in Banjul, which is expected to cease operation on the 27th day of this month, in accordance with the said directive, this reporter found the workers worried about the future of their jobs. One of the senior staff, who prefers anonymity, said the expulsion of Mr. Tajudeen and the closure of his businesses will seriously impact on the livelihoods of many families whose survival is dependent on the income their breadwinners have been deriving from these operations. He revealed that the company engages more than 200 drivers, who transport the containers and other goods, and about 700 other workers in the different areas such as offices, supermarkets, etc. “It means we are all going to lose our jobs come the one month deadline given to company to close down,” he said. The impact of the closure of TAJCO will not only be felt by its workers but also other economic operators as revealed to this reporter by some businesspersons in Banjul. Some traders and store owners, who get their goods directly from TAJCO, explained that this development would compel them to look for another supplier. They, however, expressed the hope that the commodities that were imported by TAJCO will not be scarce in the market following the closure of its operations. An executive order issued  on Wednesday 27 May 2015 gave Mr. Tajudeen 72 hours to leave the Gambia and to close his businesses within 30 days. This latest development, however, was the second time that this economic operator has been expelled from the country. The first was in June 2013 which lasted for four months before he was allowed by a presidential pardon to return and operate his businesses. ]]>