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| Abdou Kolley, Finance Minister |
With
the high rate of poverty in The Gambia and the modest achievement in reducing
it, there is a likelihood that the country will not met the goal number one of
the Millennium Development Goals, which is to eradicate extreme poverty and hunger
by 2015.
However, the Minister of Finance and Economic Affairs, Abdou
Kolley, acknowledged that as of now the country may or not achieve the MDG
target of eradicating extreme poverty.
“It’s a probability,” he confirmed, though he pointed out that the
government is employing all efforts to achieve this all important MDG target
and such efforts includes boosting agricultural production and productivity as
it employs a large percentage of Gambia’s labour force and contributes
significantly to the country’s gross domestic product.
Statistics indicates that majority of Gambia’s 1.8 million people
still live in poverty despite the reported “robust economic growth” over the
years. More than 40 % of those who are employed still live below the poverty line of
$1.25 per day.
Speaking
on behalf of Ms Chinwe Diké UN, Resident Coordinator, on Monday at the opening
of the 7th Regional Forum for IFAD-funded Projects held
in The Gambia from 12th to 15th November 2012, Mr
Abdou Touray said given the historical trends and modest reduction in poverty
levels in The Gambia, the MDG target of halving extreme poverty will not be met
by the country, if efforts are not accelerated.
