By Oumie Bojang
The GACH Mining Company on Sunday presented a cheque of D1.5 million to the Tujereng Village Development Committee.
The disbursement is part of an agreement between the company and the community of Tujereng by which 5 percent of the profits from the mining of aluminum and black sand in the community is ploughed back to the community.
Speaking at the ceremony, Boto Bojang, the councillor of Sanyang ward, commended GACH Global for being the only company in the area that shares its profits with the community and contributes to community development projects such as mosque development, sports activities, and other forms of support.
Yusupha Jawara of GACH said the company remains committed to paying communities their share.
He explained that giving back to the community is deeply ingrained in their culture, as they strongly believe in supporting people and communities in need.
The governor of the West Coast Region, Ousman Bojang, informed the community that royalty is only paid to the government and the donation to Tujereng is a voluntary contribution from the company out of their desire to share their revenue with the community.
He commended GACH CEO Abubakary Jawara’s track record as a community development advocate and praised his dedication to giving back to communities.
Also addressing the presentation, GACH Global CEO Abubakary Jawara thanked the community for the warm and cordial relationship they continue to extend to his company.
He acknowledged that his company is not the only mining company in the sector but highlighted that they were the first to obtain a license for mining black sand in the area, and the company is 100 percent Gambian.
Jawara shared various initiatives his company has supported in the country, ranging from malaria prevention efforts to other initiatives in the healthcare sector.
He revealed that his company has now started mining in Guinea-Bissau and dismissed claims that the mining activities were detrimental to the community, saying that if that were the case, the community of Tujereng would not have allowed his company to mine there. He stressed that the company has maintained a positive relationship with the communities of Sanyang and Brufut.
He said that as a testament to GACH’s commitment to the environment, the company has donated D1.5 million to wildlife for tree planting in Brufut.
Jawara disclosed that his company has also built two police stations, four football fields, and other social services across the country.
“We are also planning to organise a nationwide football tournament and a nationwide Quranic recitation competition,” he said.
He said the company’s support for the communities they operate in has increased from D1.2 million last year to D1.5 million this year.
“This could reach D2 million by next year,” he said.
The Village Development Committee (VDC) expressed satisfaction with their partnership with GACH.
