By Arret Jatta
Just few weeks after the suspension of the village head, Alkalo Jereh Jatta, youths in Bato-kunku on Tuesday staged a protest calling for a review and stoppage of the mining agreement between the community and GACH Company. Holding banners and chanting slogans, the youths said mining activities have caused significant harm to the environment in the area than any benefits envisaged in the agreement.
Bakary S. Jadama, an official of the village youth development association, alleged that the MOU allowed GACH to mine black sand, but the company has been mining white sand, which is not permitted. But he said GACH had maintained that the MOU covered white sand too.
The youths accused the company of colluding with some elders in the village to exploit the community’s natural resources.
The Standard contacted the Communications Unit of GACH who promised to come out with statement on the matter but have not done so until press time last night.
