The unprecedented tariff lawsuit that local cement importers instituted against the Gambia government will resume on 8th May at the Banjul High Court Annex.
The Cement Importers Alliance of The Gambia dragged the Government to court in March of this year after its many requests to the Gambian authorities to sit at the negotiation table and street protests fell on deaf ears.
Shortly after the departure of former President Macky Sall, the Gambia government exponentially increased the levy on a bag of imported cement from D30 to D180, a move it described as protectionism.
The Barrow administration insisted that this tariff policy was informed by the need to protect local cement “producers” such as Jah Oil, Gacem and Salaam cement factories.
However, it has become apparent that only Salaam Cement Company produces cement locally.
Jah Oil depends on imported pulverized cement as Gacem struggles to get a foothold in the country’s cement market.
The cement tariff hike has devastated the livelihoods of many on the cement value chain such as transporters, labourers, construction workers, food vendors and plumbers. It also engendered cement shortages in several parts of the country.
The local cement importers have now rallied to launch a legal battle against the Gambia Government, seeking from the Banjul High Court Annex, among others, a declaration that the tariff increase is unlawful and, therefore, null and void.
They cited that the upward revision of the cement tariff is in contravention of the ECOWAS trade treaty and anti-competition.
Senior lawyer Lamin S. Camara is leading the cement importers’ legal team.
