By Binta Jaiteh
Buba Kwame Jarju, Chairman of the Kartong Village Development Committee (VDC) has promised to sue illegal sand miners in the coastal community.
He declared this at the VDC recently held community meeting which was used to update the residents on current issues of the village development committee (VDC).
At the meeting, Buba Kwame Jarju claimed that some residents of Kartong Village are in the habit of mining sand illegally and selling it to satellite communities.
He, therefore, threatened to launch a legal case against any person who mine in Kartong’s territory and sells the sand without following due process, adding “We will sue anyone who illegally mines our sand and sell it to outsiders,” he fumed.
However, he urged all Kartong residents to work with his committee for sustainable development in the community.
Speaking further, he said some members of the community led by one Lamin Jamba Jammeh has impersonated the VDC and signed an agreement with GACH mining to mine in the community.
He also threatened to sue them, saying they have no legal ground to sign an agreement with GACH mining on behalf of the community.
Meanwhile, Lamin Jamba Jammeh the alleged impersonator of Kartong’s VDC chair refuted the allegation made against him. He claimed not to have met the Chief Executive Officer of GACH in private but said the signing ceremony was held at the Village head.
Jammeh, however, claimed that it was the village head of Kartong who informed the Management of GACH mining that he (Lamin Jamba Jammeh) is the VDC chairperson recognized by the village council of elders and head of clans of the community.
On his part, Modou Lamin Touray, Secretary to the committee said “We want commercial sand mining to stop because this is a natural gift and the people of Kartong must benefit from it.”