By Olimatou Coker
The Gambia Environmental Alliance (GEA), a civic society group advocating for the protection of the environment, has called for an immediate moratorium on all sand and mineral mining operations in the country.
In a press statement yesterday, the GEA argued that such a move is urgent and justifiable, given the level of destruction caused by mining to most part of the country’s coastline as exposed by The Republic, in its latest investigative report.
According to the GEA, The Republic article detailed alleged systemic corruption, environmental abuse and government failure in the coastal mining sector.
“We are calling for an independent environmental audit of all sites affected, with community participation. We also want a full parliamentary inquiry into mining licence awarding and regulatory failures, public disclosure of all mining contracts, environmental impact assessment reports, and company finances,” the GEA stated.
They group also called for reparations and restoration for affected communities, especially women subsistence farmers, and also prosecution of any and all public officials or private entities found to have violated environmental or procurement laws.
“The revelations highlight how ‘politically connected’ firms have continued to do mining operations in Tujereng, Sanyang, Kartong, Batokunku and Brufut, amid clear regulatory violations- expired licences, and overwhelming environmental and economic damage, particularly to women farmers,” the GEA said.
According to the group, this situation is an indictment of environmental governance.
“We are alarmed that mining contracts were awarded without public tender, bypassing procurement laws and environmental regulations. The Janneh Commission’s recommendation to halt all mining until rehabilitation and restoration are completed was ignored too. The National Environment Agency has failed in its watchdog role, through alleged issuing of approvals retroactively or overlooking lapses entirely. The government, which claims a 60% profit share, has no independent records of exports or earnings, relying solely on mining companies unverifiable data while affected communities, especially women, have lost up to 70% of their household income due to the destruction of rice fields and gardens,” GEA said.
It also lamented that these lapses are not just administrative lapses, but acts of environmental injustice and economic sabotage.
“The coastlines are being plundered, ecosystems razed, and livelihoods shattered, while the public is kept in the dark.
The Republic’s article confirm what community members and environmentalists have been saying for years that the country’s coast is being sold off under the cover of silence and secrecy. If we do not act now, our beaches, biodiversity, and people’s livelihoods will be lost beyond repair. We stand in solidarity with the impacted communities and will be mobilising civil society partners, youth groups, and legal advocates to demand justice. We call on the government, the National Assembly and development partners to act before it is too late,” the group said.
