In what seems like a scene out of the movie Armageddon, the ferry terminal at Yeli Tenda/Bamba Tenda is completely deserted – thanks to Yahya Jammeh’s belligerent, recalcitrant, intransigent, and irresponsible behavior towards Gambians and neighbor, Senegal. Otherwise this crossing point is usually the busiest in the country creating a very vibrant economy at the border towns separating Gambia and Senegal – one so strong; it is immune to economic downturns that occasionally pop up on either side of the divide. All gains made over the years in areas affected by the resilient economic boom at this crossing have evaporated, causing a crippling impact on the already suffering Gambians – revenues generated for the Gambia have gone down 60% according to actual figures received by Fatu Network.

Yahya Jammeh has over the years used the border crossing at Yeli Tenda/Bamba Tenda as a political pawn – he has used it occasion after occasion to settle scores with Gambia’s neighbor, Senegal. As a matter of fact, a bridge was commissioned for this crossing with funding from African Development Bank, World Bank, and contribution from Senegal, but Jammeh balked just before the commencement of the project because he was pissed off at Senegal for reasons no one has been able to determine.

Gambians have never had any problems with their Senegalese neighbor – in fact, Senegal came to Gambia’s aid during a coup attempt in 1981 leading to the deaths of hundreds of Senegalese soldiers. The country currently serves as a home to thousands of Gambians fleeing from persecution under Yahya – yet another thorn under Jammeh’s skin – he wants Senegal to repatriate all such Gambians.

Yahya is in the habbit of always finding a scapegoat for his failed leadership. He has blamed everyone but himself for the dire economic situation affecting the Gambia. He has also always found Senegal to be a convenient pawn to give Gambians the impression that Senegal is responsible for their suffering. This according to observers is what is manifesting yet again – he was the main instigator of the current border closures leading many Gambians to express hope that Senegal will this time not capitulate. “Senegal must understand that Gambians are blaming Yahya Jammeh squarely for the current standoff and so should not be worried about how we will perceive their government despite the lies and the impression Jammeh will try to give us” said one distraught Gambian taxi driver who frequents the border crossing and has seen his income reduced 80% because of the situation. “We know he is trying to look for someone to blame for our suffering but we will not be fooled. He (Jammeh) is the one making our lives miserable, not Senegal” interjected another.

In the meantime, a lady Fatu Network hired to go monitor the situation at the border crossing reported back a very grim picture – only four cars and a military truck were found on the ferry. This; for a terminal where cars and trucks used to queue for miles, waiting sometimes for days, to get their turn to get on the ferry. Cars and trucks now wait for hours to get on the ferry because there are not enough of them – officials at the terminal are trying to cut costs by waiting to have enough vehicles before allowing the ferry to leave. Fatu Network has in its possession pictures of an empty terminal – something unheard of for this crossing. The Weighing Bridge is also closed for lack of trucks to weigh according to our investigator.

Experts predict more devastating effects once supplies of the current basic commodities run out in the impoverish country. The border closure means most of those goods cannot enter Gambia from Senegal. Cooking gas (Jammeh has banned charcoal), Armanti Mayonaise, Jumbo, Maggi, Tomato paste, cement, are just some of the commodities imported from Senegal. Ironically, Elton that supplies fuel for the ferry has its headquarters in the Senegalese capital, Dakar. A senegalese Tycoon Wade Thiam has over ten trucks that supply food stuff, soap, and many other commodities to shops in The Gambia, and with this move by Jammeh, his business is at a standstill.

What comes next is anyone’s guess, but regular Gambians it seems have finally found a close ally in Senegal and are hoping that the neighbor will act decisively to help alleviate this cancer call Yahya Jammeh wreaking havoc on both.

It seems the mistrust between the governments of Senegal and the Gambia has gone from bad to worse as the land borders between the two countries have been closed to all kinds of vehicular movement affecting thousands of small scale business operators who crisscross the open markets of both countries on a daily basis.

The current situation has been triggered by a unilateral decision by the government of the Gambia through an executive order from Dictator Yahya Jammeh to levy a compulsory fee on all Senegalese vehicles using the Gambian ferry crossing points to more than 150%.

The decision came at a time when Gambia is starved of funding from external partners pitting its economy on a continually spiral freefall. Since then, The Gambia government has resorted to domestic tax increases and even resorting to unusual measures of taking over collection of fees levied on commercial vehicle drivers from the transport union.

The Senegalese transporters and their union angered by the unilateral move by Dictator Yahya Jammeh, has swiftly urged all its members to boycott the Gambian frontiers….a typical retaliatory measure used by Senegal to force Gambia to reduce crossing fees levied on its transporters to access the Southern Senegalese Province of Cassamance.

Although previous border closures normally lasted just few days or at most two weeks, if there is anything to go by, it seems this other one may last much longer. Senegal transport union which is in the lead in forcing the border closure according to our sources, is demanding this time the Gambia should provide tangible proofs of sincerity of non-interference in the free flow of vehicular movement between the two countries.

Speaking on The Fatu Network’s popular Today Show program on Tuesday February 24th, a former president of Senegal’s Transport Union, Mr Alassane Ndoye who is also a member of Parliament and Deputy Mayor, said this time “Senegal would not be in the rush to open the borders because Gambia’s President Yahya Jammeh has continually been using increase in fee levies at border crossing points to punish Senegalese transporters.” He added: “your that President has never been a trustworthy partner when it comes to mutual agreements he signs with people.”

The border closure itself has started to pinch the Gambia more. Since Monday, prices of consumer goods have started going up and the construction industry is also greatly hit. Gambia virtually imports all of its construction materials from Senegal and now that the border is closed to all vehicular movements and goods, many of the ongoing construction works needing basalt for concrete are halted.

The already weakened local currency, the Dalasi, has also started going down further against all major international currencies. As one source in the Gambia told The Fatu Network: “Currently I want to tell you that what we are witnessing in this country is that the economy is taking a nose dive deep into the abyss and as it is, it seems there is no end in sight to this madness caused by dictator who everyone now knows has gone insane.”

At the height of the unrestricted vehicular movements between the two countries, Senegalese vehicles were pumping more than $50 000 a day into the Gambian economy through fees levied for using Gambian ferries to access the Southern Senegalese Province of Cassamance.

The Gambia Ports Authority that manages the Gambia Ferry Crossing Points is said to be losing almost a quarter of its daily revenue forecast due to the border closure. Before the border closure, the ferry crossing point in the Gambian border town of Farafeni used to bring in the economy a minimum of $15 000 a day but today that crossing point is collecting not more than $1000 a day. The other crossing point in Barra also in the North Bank Region of the Gambia which used to bring into the Gambian economy a minimum of $7 000 is only able to collect not more than $500 a day.

One source has told The Fatu Network that currently the Gambian Dictator has no money and the current border closure will only add to his woes. The Fatu Network will continue to follow the developments regarding the border closure and the impact it is having on the economy.