By Makutu Manneh
The Gambia Immigration Department (GID), in collaboration with the Gambia Armed Forces (GAF), has intercepted 62 irregular migrants during a joint operation conducted in Niumi Sika.
According to a press release issued by the GID, the operation was launched following information provided by individuals who had escaped from a migrant camp in Sika. The intercepted group comprises 49 Guineans, 2 Gambians, 4 Senegalese, 4 Sierra Leoneans, 2 Ivorians, and 1 Malian.
“The would-be migrants are currently being held at the Barra Migration Management Office for profiling before their transfer to the Tanji Migration Management Centre for further processing and investigation,” the statement noted.
Irregular migration—locally referred to as the “backway” in The Gambia—remains a persistent challenge, largely driven by youth unemployment, poverty, and economic hardship.
Despite the significant risks involved, thousands of Gambians and other West Africans continue to use the River Gambia as a transit route in attempts to reach Europe via the perilous Atlantic journey to Spain’s Canary Islands.
Separately, an official highlighted the financial pressures associated with service delivery, noting that operational costs can range between D18,000 and D20,000, while patients are charged D4,000.
The official also disclosed plans to introduce specialized and private healthcare services at the Edward Francis Small Teaching Hospital (EFSTH), aimed at patients seeking expedited access to specialists and private accommodations. Revenue generated from these services is expected to subsidize care for underprivileged patients.
“Those who can afford to pay more will do so, enabling us to support poorer patients,” he said.
He further explained that vulnerable individuals already benefit from existing social protection mechanisms, which allow hospitals to verify financial status and grant fee exemptions to those in extreme need.
“We have a system in place that allows us to verify eligibility within 30 minutes. Once confirmed, patients are exempted and provided with the necessary services,” he added.
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