Interior Minister Yankuba Sonko on Thursday communicated the Foreign Ministry decision to the leadership of Gambia’s Immigration Department, according to sources familiar with the story. Immigration officers have been instructed to stop collecting visa fees from visitors, who arrived at port of entries across the length and breadth of the country.
Tourism Minister Hamat Bah was said to be the main mastermind behind the visa free policy for visitors coming into the country. Bah, said our sources, wants to revamp Gambia’s tourism sector by extending a free visa to visitors—particularly tourists.
The government’s decision to introduce a visa free regime doesn’t go down well with some security, health and financial analysts. For example, one security analyst warns that such a move could have had serious security ramifications for the country. The analyst notes that under new free visa regime, all sorts of people can enter the country without going through the required international security controls.
“There is a security danger associated with such a move. Criminal fleeing justice could use this country as a safe heaven. Now that visas have been stopped, what is the guarantee that criminals or terrorists fleeing from Afghanistan can be stopped from entering this country? Prior to the new visa free policy, Gambia’s security agents used to submit information of Afghan people to Interpol for background checks. With this new policy, people can walk into The Gambia without a visa. They can also land through our airport without a visa,” said the analyst.
A financial analyst also warned that the government’s free visa policy could have an adverse effect on the country’s ailing economy.
“This country is a tax-based economy. Tourism accounts for the greater chunk of our economy. Visiting tourists pay visa before coming to The Gambia. The Gambian Embassy in Washington DC, in the United States, for example, collects millions of dalasis from visitors on a yearly basis. There are other Gambian missions collecting visa fees. Such funds are used to keep the government going. This is one of worst policies even taken by a Gambian government,” said another analyst.
A health sector analyst said he is concerned about the health ramifications associated with the visa free policy. He warns that such a move could render the country vulnerable to diseases. The state, he went on, wouldn’t be able to detect or know the health history of visitors visiting without possessing visa or health certificate.
According to sources, Hamat Bah’s initial attempts to introduce the visa free policy was unsuccessful during Ebrima Mballow’s watch as Interior Minister. Mballow had reportedly opposed the move. But with Yankuba Sonko, he had executed the policy without any formal opposition.
Some are of the view that such a move could hamper the country’s economic growth. They have called on the government to revisit this draconian decision.
The Communicator Director at Gambia’s Foreign Ministry Saikou Ceesay was contacted for comment. Ceesay has asked to be given time to get in touch with the relevant authorities for information on our line of journalistic query.
A Senior Gambian government official has confirmed the story. The official, who wished not be named said the Interior Ministry received a directive from the Foreign Ministry, instructing them to stop collecting visa fees from visitors.
“The Foreign Ministry letter is right here at the Interior Ministry. Interior Minister Sonko has communicated Minister Momodou Tangara’s decision to abolish visas to visitors to his staff,” said an insider.
In another development, Interior Minister Yankuba Sonko has constituted a migration task force, consisting police, immigration officers and other members of the security sector. The new task force has been set up to address the issue of illegal migration through the perilous back way journey to Europe. The task force reports to Interior Minister Sonko.
