By Mafugi Ceesay
The director of geological department Abdoulie M Cham, has given a detailed run down of how The Julay Group obtained license to mine sand in The Gambia.
He said the government of the Gambia has no official site for sand mining but people choose for themselves where they want to conduct it which his office facilitates and monitors.
Cham told the Faraba Commission that Julakay was first given his license way back in 2007 valid for only one year using the Kachumeh extension mining site. He said at the expiry of that license, Julakay submitted another application in 2008 for a one year renewal which was given approval on January 20, 2009.
However according to director Cham the license was revoked the next day by presidential directives and that was how Julakay group stopped mining in Kachumeh.
The director went on to reveal that on February 20, 2017 Julakay petitioned the office of the President through the office of the secretary general, complaining that his license was illegally revoked.
“Julakay also requested for his license and reimbursement of capital which was forwarded to the director of geological department for a review and advice and the office of the president replied to Julakay on March 20, 2017 on the same caption on the petition.”
