No open space should become a garbage dump. Especially not forests and eyesores in the middle of towns.
Experts note that waste generation is inevitable in any developing society. But communities must take ownership and protect their surroundings.
Nyambai Forest cannot be a dumping ground. The practice will destroy vegetation and degrade the forest in the long term.
It is high time the Ministry of Forestry takes a firm stance and prosecutes all offenders.
We cannot afford to turn every open space into a dump. Yet many of these illegal sites sit in the middle of towns.
Rapid population growth, expanding economic activity, and urbanisation have driven this unprecedented surge in waste. That is fact.
AU Agenda 2063, The Africa We Want, is clear: Africa must pursue sustainable waste management to realise its development goals.
Projections show Africa’s waste will triple by 2050 — from 174 million tonnes per year in 2026 to 516 million tonnes. This demands urgent action and sound environmental initiatives.
Government must embrace recycling. Critics paint a negative picture, but recycling is proven to protect the environment while reducing open burning.
In Africa, 70 to 80 percent of municipal solid waste is recyclable. Yet only 4 percent is currently recycled.
Informal waste pickers recover valuable materials for minimal pay, while half of Africa’s waste remains uncollected — dumped on sidewalks, fields, drains, and rivers.
The Gambia cannot be left behind.
We recommend the following:
1. Enforce the law: Prosecute those dumping in forests and public spaces
2. Invest in recycling: Build formal systems that support waste pickers and create value
3. Public education: Make every citizen a guardian of their community
Nyambai Forest is not a landfill. Our towns are not dumpsites. Act now.