President Yahya Jammeh has launched Comium Gambia, a subsidiary of Luxembourg-based global telecommunication giant the Comium Group at a ceremony held at its headquarters along Kairaba Avenue.

The launch of The Gambia’s latest state-of-the-art 2.5G GSM mobile network came a day after the birthday of the Gambian leader, which coincided with the African Liberation Day on May 25. It is the third GSM company in mobile telephony business in the country.

The ceremony was attended by members of the Cabinet, National Assembly members, officials of Comium Group, diplomats, staff and well wishers of the company.

Delivering his launching statement, President Jammeh said the inauguration of the company demonstrates his government’s commitment in encouraging private sector participation in the country’s development.

President Jammeh informed the ceremony about a new wireless communication programme being undertaking by Gamtel and Gamcel to promote easy access to digital facilities, as well as enhance international gateway VSAT facilities. He said, it was envisaged that the new Telecommunication Bill will encourage a rational liberalisation of the sector, when it is passed by the National Assembly.

The Gambian leader confirmed receiving information that Comium Gambia will provide access to new and innovative mobile services with high quality coverage, affordable and accessible services to Gambians for both local and international calls. “Comium will also introduce services such as GPRS which will give customers the opportunity to send E-mails and instant messages on their phones and will provide services, such as multi-media messaging to all customers to send voice picture and video over the network, ring back tones, and ring tones,” President Jammeh added.

He said the company also intends to operate sites in the rural areas, saying this will be of immense benefit to “our national rural folks by a way of enabling them establish market information system for their produce and enhance their socio-economic activities, thus, contributing to the reduction of poverty”.

He said Comium will launch “Education Fund” to provide scholarships to needy students with high scholastic aptitude in all the administrative regions in the country.

President Jammeh emphasised that a dynamic private sector offers good opportunities for employment generation, enhancement of technological transfer, increase in private capital inflows, and diversification of economic activities.

Acknowledging that most business ventures encounter teething problems during the initial stage of operation, the President assured that his government will continue to provide a conducive environment through the Gambia Investment Promotion and Free Zone Agency and the Gambia Public Utilities Regulatory Agency, among others.

For her part, Neneh Macdouall-Gaye, Secretary of State for Communication and Information Technology, described the birth of Comium as another milestone that complements the efforts and policy objectives of her department in a bid to implement the National Information and Communication Infrastructure policy.

SoS Macdouall-Gaye said the event manifested the Government’s drive to widen affordable and accessible communication service opportunities through “our policy of liberalisation and investment promotion in realising the objectives of Vision 2020. The arrival of Comium in The Gambia with its demonstrated performance in the West African sub-region and Asian peninsula will no doubt increase value, variety and expertise to the industry”.

According to her, having a third GSP operator will give more choices to customers and encourage competition. She said this has great benefits, such as tariff reduction, better service delivery and innovative ideas.

Ali Dalloul, Chairman of Comium Group, said they operates in 10 countries. Mr. Dalloul pointed out that the company has focused on West Africa in the last few years to deliver high quality and voice, and value-added services.

Amer Atwi, Managing Director of Comium Gambia, assured that his company will offer the most efficient and the highest quality coverage The Gambia has ever experienced.