Life in The Gambia is growing difficult
by the day as economic hardship in the country continues to take its toll on
almost everyone in the country.
The hardship in the country has driven
many people to adopt various means of battling the harsh economic status quo,
no less the national security officers some of whom have resorted to begging
for transport fare, against their will.
Most of the security officers, like
majority of Gambians, are finding it very difficult to even keep their heads
above water as prices of basic commodities continue to skyrocket, the Dalasi
continues to lose its value and people’s earning power remains stagnant, with
less and less to purchase essentials of life with.
Twice, on different occasions, I have met
with a security officer begging transport fare to go home after work. One of them is an officer of the Police Intervention
Unit, and the other a Fire and Rescue Services officer, both are part of the
national security apparatus.
‘Jerre jef bro, nakam, nga def’
(literally meaning thank you my brother, how you doing), the PIU officer told
me one morning on my way to work.
After I have responded to him, the
officer begged for a fare to go to his house in Tabokoto.
Few days after, on my way to work I met again
with an officer of Fire and Rescue Services also begging for transport to
Brikama.
“My brother, can you please help me with
fare to Brikama, I just closed from work but I do not have fare to go back?”
the officer appealed.
“Even if you don’t have the full fare to
Brikama if I can have any amount, even D10 is good,” he added.
Even though it seemed these officers
were asking for fare, the actual fact is that they were looking for some cash
to help themselves.
Apart from students, security officers
are keener in begging for lift when going and coming from work. Early in the
morning and in the evening, security officers usually form line-ups on the roadside
seeking lift to their home or going to work.
A fire service officer has said a full fledge fire
fighter – after six months of training at the training school – earns a basic
salary of just D1,300. Though there are
some allowances – transport allowance (but those in the provinces get bush
allowance instead of transport allowance) and house rent; all these
cumulatively are not more than D800. All
the allowances and basic salary put together is just about D2,100.
“From this amount, you have to pay income tax and
social security,” the officer said. “What
I am left with is always small, and expectations are high on workers - people
expect so much from you - the expectations are higher than the salary you earn.”
