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| Almami Fanding Taal, CEO GCCI has been presiding over a cash-starved body: PHOTO/ Gamwriters |
Gambia’s apex body of private sector operators, Gambia Chamber of Commerce and Industry, GCCI, is cash-starved, according it its annual activity and financial reports 2006-2012.
The
financial shortfall has forced the GCCI to forgo some of its plans such as the
GCCI membership training programme, which has not been conducted for quite a
while.
It
is understood that the Chamber’s financial bottlenecks is as a result of
members and partners withholding financial support to GCCI, meaning the Chambers could
not fulfil its mission towards members and hire more professional staff for the
effective running of its secretariat.
“In
adequate financial resources has been a major setback for GCCI in terms of
addressing the growing demands of the private sector,” the GCCI said in the
report presented during its annual general meeting on October 5 at the Kairaba
beach hotel in the small town of Kololi.
Due
to a lack of adequate financial support the Chamber finds it difficult to
access information on the abundant ideas of projects or businesses with the
basic knowledge and vision to start or carry out their activities, for onward
submission to international donors.
The
Chamber also finds it difficult to retain current membership or recruit new
members which are blamed on the lack of effective implementation of its
missions towards members businesses.
According
to the reports, membership increased between 2009 and 2010 but remained
stagnant between 2010 and 2011 and eventually decreased from 2011 to 2012.
The
GCCI also blames members for its financial dilemma, who it said have not been
regularly paying their annual subscription.
“One
of the vehicles is already grounded,” the reports said, conspicuously referring
to one of two vehicles procured by the GCCI in 2005, which have outlived their
usefulness and road worthiness after almost a decade.
Plans
The
financially-starved umbrella body of private sector businesses said it is working on
a series of issues to takeout the GCCI from this “hell-of-a-financial
shortfall.”
“The
Secretariat has been exploring innovative ways of mobilising more financial
resources for operations such as organising Trade Fair Gambia on an annual
basis instead of once every two years, publishing the business directory,
renting out seminar and meeting rooms,” the reports suggest.
The
Chambers also revealed it has sent out project proposals to local and
international strategic partners to engage them to support long-term programmes
for the benefit of the business community.
The
new direction of the Secretariat is to implement activities that would benefit
members and to continuously engage them in dialogue. The benefits and services
to the membership are under continuous review to reflect their changing and
varied needs, while potential members are continuously sensitized.
Mandate
The
GGCCI’s mandate includes the provision of essential business services to the
country’s private sector. It is also tasked with the responsibility of giving
business advice and as well as influencing government in creating an enabling
business environment.
Written by Modou S. Joof
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