By Tabora Bojang
Hundreds of residents in Sanyang on Saturday took to the streets protesting against what they called ‘excess pollution and environmental damage’ caused by Nessim Fish Mill Factory, located on the town’s coastal line.
The residents alleged that the company does not have a proper waste disposal system causing unbearable foul stench, destruction of women’s vegetable gardens, juvenile fishing, increase in prices of fish and the helplessness of schoolchildren to attend lessons during processing times because of foul stench.
They also alleged that the capacity of the factory is 500 tons equivalent to 2.6 million fish every day, which is unsustainable to the country’s economy and youthful populace.
Yusupha Jobe, the secretary general of the Sanyang environmental concern group, who read an emotional statement on behalf of the protesters, made the following demands:
“We want the factory closed down, compensate environmental damages, compensate women vegetable growers, request the Impact Assessment report from the NEA on the factory, youth consultation on any community matters and the availability of a request for the MoU signed between Sanyang and Nessim
“That is why we come out here for and in peace, love and unity to demonstrate and show our dismay to the world that the youths of Sanyang don’t want this factory to operate in our community and let the government come to our aid and help us remove it.”
