“The Geological Department after receiving reports of rice field destruction in Sanyang alleged to have been done by the GACH company immediately dispatched a fact finding team to Sanyang with a view to verify such claims. I can tell you that such reports are not true. We can confirm that no women rice field was destroyed by the mining company,” Alieu Jawo Geological Department deputy director said.
The Geological Department, he added, is the regulatory authority in the country. “As an agency, we are monitoring the activities of mining in the country whether it conforms with the required standard of mining. We are also very aware of the environmental needs to manage the exploitation in conformity and our environmental requirement which is sustainable mining.”
“We have inspectors and permanent staff that are frequently monitoring the activities of the mining company with a view to ensure that their activities are done accordingly without destruction. I can tell you that we have been monitoring the mining and all the operations going on in that area. Therefore, reports about women’s rice fields destruction are not only “false but misleading.”
“The mining has been there before gardening. We understand that there was a time that GACH Company wanted to transverse because they have a trench that only moves to a pole of water, hence they wanted an access to get to the other side of the field of mining so that they can continue on their mining. However, on the way there were some gardens. The GACH Company couldn’t reach an agreement with the gardeners so they had to use another long route in order to access their mining side and to ensure that nothing happened to the gardens.”
The company, he went on, is also playing their part in terms of their social corporate responsibilities, adding that this is the first time in the history of the country that a Gambian company has been embarking on the mining activities which is greatly welcome. The water in the rice field, he said, is not also salty.
Abubakary Jawara, chief executive officer of GACH strongly denied reports that his company's mining activities have destroyed women’s rice fields in Sanyang, claiming that such reports are totally “false and intended to tarnish the good image of his company.”
“I am a Gambian, therefore, if I don‘t bring rapid development to the community where my company is currently working, I will not do anything that will bring destruction to that particular community especially about destruction of women rice fields.”
“I have a strong relationship with the community of Sanyang since we started operating in the area. As Gambians, we need to support each other and embrace each other in order for us to partake in national development. We have been doing a lot for the community in terms of our social responsibilities. We have supported several projects in Sanyang ranging from renovation of their mosque, constructing a borehole for the village school and among others.”
“There is no chemical in the activities that we do in the mining. Therefore, reports suggesting that the water is salty are completely false. You can see the rice field for yourselves; I believe the women themselves are even expecting a bumper harvest.”
For his part, Yusupha Jassey, secretary to Sanyang VDC, said the welfare of their village and the villagers is among their top development agenda.
“Therefore, we will not sit here and see a company destroying the rice field of our women without complaining or reporting the matter to the relevant authority. In essence, I can tell you that no rice field has been destroyed by the company. The company made it clear to the women that if the company’s mining activities affect some rice fields in the area particularly farmers, will be compensated. But as of now, no rice field has been destroyed.”
“I can confirm that what the company did for the community of Sanyang for the past two years no other mining company has done it in the village.”
