The petition came in light of the grave revelations recently published by The Republic under the investigation titled: “The Opaque Mining Deal Gambling with Gambia’s Future.”
They submitted the petition to the Ministry of Petroleum, Energy and Mines and the National Assembly Select Committee on the Environment.
This petition demands an immediate moratorium and thorough inquiry into illegal and harmful coastal sand mining activities threatening our environment and communities.
Presenting the petition, Muhammed Hydara, Secretary General of GEA, said “This expose confirms what our communities have witnessed for years; illegal and destructive sand mining across Tujereng, Sanyang, Kartong, Batokunku, and Brufut, resulting in massive environmental degradation, economic injustice, and regulatory failure.”
“We demand a national moratorium on all coastal mining operations until independent environmental and legal reviews are completed. This is in line with the precautionary principle under the Environmental Management Act of 1994 and in reference to the Janneh Commission’s own recommendations which were ignored.
They call for thorough, community-inclusive environmental audits in Sanyang, Tujereng, Kartong, Batokunku, and Brufut. “These should be led by neutral environmental experts and civil society observers to assess the ecological and economic damage.”
“We urge the National Assembly Select Committee on the Environment to launch an inquiry into the issuance of mining licenses, particularly those given to GACH Mining and other politically connected entities. This includes reviewing NEA’s EIA practices and institutional failures under the Public Procurement Act and the National Environment Management Act,” he said.
“We demand full legal accountability for any actors, state or private, found to have engaged in environmental crimes, corruption, or abuse of office. This includes those who failed in their duty of oversight, violated procurement or environmental regulations, or knowingly facilitated illegal mining operations.”
“The government must allocate a fund for land restoration, reforestation, and financial compensation to women whose livelihoods have been destroyed. The destruction of communal gardens and rice fields is not just environmental; it is a social and economic assault, disproportionately affecting women.”
