By BintaJaiteh
Saikou Janko, president of All Gambia Forestry Platform has blamed the government for illegal logging and wood timber trade.
Mr Janko said: “The Gambia forest cover is declining at an alarming rate causing serious threat to the livelihood of rural Gambians exposing them to climate change hazards.”
“The task force is hereby recommends that government should recognize the crucial role of civil society in supporting the implementation of policies and Acts in Natural Resource sector of The Gambia.
Conduct nationwide sensitization to local authorities on their roles in the issuing of felling permit/license for logs in forest within their jurisdiction,” he said.
Among other recommendations pointed out is that government should “empower Civil Society groups on forest to participate in security check points at the border and within the country to monitor the movement of illegal logs into the country. Employ and equip forest guards for constant and periodic patrolling of the forest, and as well harmonized institutional policies within the Agriculture and Natural Resource sector to avoid policy conflicts.”
Without much ado, he urged the government to start the enactment process of the CITES Bill for effective protection of endangered species under the CITES Convention, enforce ban on charcoal production and promote the use of alternative energy for domestic/household consumption
Mr Janko added that government should publicly produce the report of the investigations on the 38 containers of Rosewood intercepted at the Sea Ports of The Gambia and Buffer Zone.
“Allocate annual subvention to All Gambia Forestry Platform from the National Forestry (NFF) to effectively support the implementation of the National Forest Policy and programs,” he said.
However, participants also agreed and approved the recommendation of Environment Investigation Agency (EIA) for government to consider implement.
Meanwhile the ministry of Forestry has been accused of giving license to the timber wood traders.
Salieu Puye, PRO of All Gambia Forestry Platform stated that traders always claimed that it is the Ministry of Forestry that issue them license each time they ask them.
Based on their response, he said they invited both Environment and Forestry departments to clear the allegations but they refused to appear and do that, while “we managed to find out some environmental hazards in the Provinces.”
He disclosed that during meetings of the platform held in URR, CRR and LRR had generated a lot of complaints, while some of the custodians which include chiefs, governors and alkalos are the custodians of the forest.
Mr Puye revealed that a lot of loggers from Senegal were in the territory waiting for clearing agents to clear them to Banjul.
“They smuggled it from Casamance and it is unfortunate that even Gambians, Senegalese and Togolese are there “
“They are using the territory of The Gambia to facilitate the trade. We want the poor people of the country to know the illegalities happening in our country,” he said, adding “the forest scope of this country is almost lost our generation yet to be born will not find anything in this environment.”
The Ministry of Environment and the director of Forestry supposed to be partners with us in this matter, he said.
However, he said with the help of Environment Investigation Agency, an organization trying to rectify all the hazards that are happening in the environmental degradation.
Mutarr Jallow, chairman of All Gambia Forestry Platform said the members expressed their disappointment on non-show up of the Ministry of Environment and director of Forestry during the previous press conference and the later saying they always fail to honour invitation with reason best known to them.
He noted that the synergy about national interest on illegal logging, whereby they expected the Minister to send representative if not able to present personally. “We found a lot of damages during our tour and if care is not taken our forest will be relegated,” he noted.
Fatou Touray , member of the platform and Fatou A Jeng president of Agricultural Sites Teachers Association as well made some remarks during the meeting.
