In a recent interview with The Point, Modou Lamin B. Bah, National Assembly Member for Banjul North, raised eye brows over what he called - ongoing illegal activities in the area, accusing unknown actors of clearing mangroves and backfilling the wetland with sand and rocks, all without public consultation or transparency.
The Banjul North lawmaker expressed grave concern over this “deliberate environmental destruction” currently taking place at the Tanbi Wetland Reserve.
According to him, the mangrove ecosystem - a natural defense against flooding - is being cleared, and large quantities of sand and rocks are being dumped near the Bund Polder Station (locally known as Pa Machine), a critical flood control mechanism.
This comes as a shocking development recalling that in 2022, the same area was identified as a contributing factor to the flash floods that overwhelmed Banjul.
Back then, a combination of unregulated construction in the wetland, dilapidated drainage and sewage systems, and the non-functioning Bond Polder Station, left the capital vulnerable to heavy rains.
Amid public outcry from concerned residents, he said, youth activists and environmental advocates forced the government to announce a halt to all construction activities in the wetland.
“Two years ago, the government pledged to protect Tanbi Wetland after the flooding disaster. Today, that same promise is being broken in silence,” Bah stated. “This activity is happening right under our noses, with no clarity on who authorized it or what the land is intended for.”
Hon. Bah said that he had reached out to the National Environment Agency (NEA) and other institutions to confirm whether they were aware of or had approved the ongoing development.
However, he has yet to receive a concrete response. “What’s most worrying is the lack of accountability. Institutions are either unaware or unwilling to speak up, and the government both at the central and local level is failing to act decisively,” he added.
The Tanbi Wetland is not just a protected reserve, but a vital environmental buffer that plays a key role in flood prevention, biodiversity conservation, and climate resilience.
Thus, its continuous destruction not only endangers the ecosystem, but also puts the entire city of Banjul at risk, as the rainy season approaches.
Hon. Bah thus urged all stakeholders involved in the unauthorised development to immediately cease all activity. “We, the people of Banjul, will not sit idly by while our natural heritage is destroyed. This wetland belongs to all of us, and we have a duty to protect it for future generations,” he declared.
He also reaffirmed his commitment as a Member of Parliament to continue advocating for environmental justice and accountability.
“My doors remain open. I will keep engaging relevant authorities and stakeholders to ensure that this issue is addressed urgently and transparently.”
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