Senegalese cement imports not subject to higher taxes

Gambia will not levy higher taxes on cement imported from Senegal, confirmed Gambia's Minister of Trade, Industry, Regional integration and Employment, Mr Baboucar Ousmaila Joof.

Mr Joof explained that the excise tax is levied on imported bagged cement regardless of its source, justifying that the measure doesn't target any specific country as that would constitute discrimination.

“Past studies of the manufacturing sector in the country found that more than 80 per cent of the manufacturing units were operating less than 50 per cent of their installed capacity due to high cost of energy, taxation and limited market space. To spur growth in the industry, the government has decided to support the industry by imposing an excise tax on the importation of bagged cement,” he said.

He also explained that due the country's implementation of the ECOWAS trade liberalisation scheme, Gambian producers can sell their products without duties to other ECOWAS countries and that under the terms of the agreement, a reciprocal arrangement was in place.