Trade Minister Says Employment Increased by 163,660 Since 2023

Trade Minister Says Employment Increased by 163,660 Since 2023

The Minister for Trade, Industry, Regional Integration and Employment, Mod K. Ceesay, has told the National Assembly that employment in The Gambia increased by 163,660 persons between 2023 and 2026, according to preliminary findings from the 2026 Labour Force Survey. Minister Ceesay disclosed this on Wednesday during a question-and-answer session in the National Assembly while responding to a question from Banjul North lawmaker Hon. Momodou Lamin B. Bah. Hon. Bah had asked the minister to inform lawmakers when the Gambia Labour Force Survey for the first quarter of 2026 would be published and to explain the methodology behind the reported creation of more than 163,000 jobs during the period under review. In response, Minister Ceesay said the publication of the first-quarter 2026 Labour Force Survey is expected by the end of June 2026 and will be released by the Gambia Bureau of Statistics (GBoS). “The survey preliminary findings indicate that employment increased from 563,395 persons in 2023 to 727,055 persons in 2026,” Minister Ceesay told lawmakers. He said the figures represent an increase of 163,660 employed persons over the three-year period. According to the minister, the labour force also expanded significantly during the same period. “The labour force expanded from 609,410 to 775,348 persons, an increase of 165,938 individuals,” he said. He explained that the increase means more Gambians entered the labour market and that a substantial proportion of those entering the workforce were absorbed into employment. “These figures demonstrate a significant improvement in labour absorption and labour market participation, reflecting changes in employment status as a result of new entrants, returnees from leave and other factors,” he added. During the session, Wuli East lawmaker Hon. Suwaibou Touray asked whether the survey had taken into account the country’s unemployment rate. Responding, Minister Ceesay said the survey was conducted by the Gambia Bureau of Statistics and that the institution was better placed to provide detailed technical information on the survey findings. “The survey is carried out by GBoS, who are equipped with the survey details, so I am not in a position to provide that answer,” he said. The discussion later shifted to the rising cost of living when Janjanbureh National Assembly Member Hon. Omar Jammeh asked the minister to outline the government’s immediate interventions to stabilise food prices and protect low-income households from increasing living costs. In response, Minister Ceesay said The Gambia operates a liberalised market system in which prices are largely determined by the forces of demand and supply. “The Gambia operates in a liberalised market in which prices are primarily determined by market forces of demand and supply,” he said. “Consequently, the government does not interfere in the pricing of essential commodities.” However, the minister assured lawmakers that the government remains committed to measures …

Source: Foroyaa Gambia