Badara Mbye, the newly appointed managing director of Africell, a leading GSM operator in The Gambia, has spoke of his desire to consolidate on the gains already registeterd by the company since its inception in the country nearly seven years ago.

Mr Mbye,formerly the chief financial officer and the first Gambian to handle the MD post made this remark in an exclusive interview with the Daily Observer at his Kairaba Avenue office last Friday.

According to him, his priorities are to make sure that Africell is reachable in all corners of the country, to improve the human resources base, provide  adequate and fair renumeration, enhancing the existing cordial relationship with government and the private sector and to reduce poverty.

He revealed that Africell had a record number of 420,000 active subscribers and has contributed  in putting The Gambia on the telecom map, being one of the highest rank in telephone density in the African continent.

Social responsibilities

On all their raffle draws , the new  Africell boss Mr Mbye said “ it is not the money we are looking for but we want to entice our customers and as well increase our subscriber base . Africell value their clients very much.

We also contribute significantly in sports and youth development. We are into health and education. Africell support the children’s wing of the RVTH . We support the national football team and  Nawetans (summer football tournament) across the country. We are the sole financier of Sait Matty football club just to name a few”.

Resolution.

The Africell boss said that his new year resolution is to  turn the company into an indigeneous entity. He said that even though  the company  belongs to Lintel Holding based in Lebanon, the overwhelming majority of its 270 staff are Gambians.

Speaking on the company’s marketing strategies, he acknowledged the fact that is the most vibrant sector of Africell.  As the market is becoming more and more competitive, the only way to survive, he said, is to contantly innovate and diversify the strategies’ approach. Therefore the pattern, he noted, will certainly not be changed as adage goes “When it works, don’t change it.”  

Resolutely decided to make a difference during his tenure, the Africell boss spared no efforts to indicate that his company will also continue to venture into modern technology capable of providing the latest advances to its customers. “With the German Siemens, our strategic partner, we will never be left behind,” he hinted. In other words, Africell has the advantage to provide up-to-date equipement and facilities to its numerous clients.