Scores of environmentalists have continued their condemnation of the issuance of a temporary allocation of more than six hectares of part of the Salagi Forest Park to GACH Global for a basalt depot.
The campaigners insist that the government rescind the decision as well as halt all ongoing developments currently taking place at the forest park.
“This forest is our last hope and it must remain as forest reserve to carry out ecosystem system functions and for intergenerational equity or otherwise. To see this vanguard forest going, will be a tragedy for not only the people of Sukuta but for the entire country,” Samba Darboe, a native of Sukuta based in the UK stated.
Samba added: “It’s unfortunate that part of Salagi Forest is allocated to an individual businessman without following due process. We (the people of Sukuta) are calling on the government to immediately rescind the decision because the allocation was given to Abubacarr Jawara without any form of consultation with the people of Sukuta nor did they do any environmental impact assessment.”
Samba also claims, “GACH Global is renowned for environmental vandalism within the Kombo South area because they have not restored the previous site where they carried out mining activities. The risk of turning Salagi Forest into a business center remains high as the company’s tomato plant in Banjulinding has now turned into a business center.”
“I don’t think the decision to allocate part of Salagi Forest Park to GACH is on a temporal basis because according to the information from the community of Sukuta, the said land was leased to GACH Global for a period of 99years, allegedly by the Ministry of Local Government & Lands. However, to date the Ministry of Environment has not revealed the content of the temporal permit issued to GACH to the public,” FamaraDrammeh, a renowned environmental activist disclosed.
Famara adds: “On the other hand, whilst the Minister has powers as per the Forest Act (2018) to de-reserve a forest park, she has no power under the National Environment Management Act (NEMA) to allow GACH to illegally bulldoze the vegetation at Salagi without conducting Environmental and Social Impact Assessment (ESIA). The ESIA is necessary due to the ecological sensitivity of the ecosystem and the critical infrastructure (water borehole supplying clean drinking water to people in WCR & KMC) in the area that is close to the proposed site for basalt depot.”
The renowned Environmental Activist revealed that the Minister of Environment acknowledged during a meeting held at her office with representatives of Sukuta VDC, Kombo Yiriwa Kafo, and Gambia Environmental Alliance that there was no consultation with the community, arguing that consultation with the community of Sukuta forms an integral component towards deciding to de-reserve a forest park.
“There are other areas available with less environmental impacts where a basalt depot can be allocated (e.g. Pirang old quarries, Karenti quarries, Bafuloto quarries, etc) rather than destroying a forest,” Drammeh contended.
Dr. Ahmed Manjang, another activist also criticised the decision to allocate part of Salagi Forest Part to GACH as a wrong move that depicts the carefree attitude of State Ministers in doing as they wish without adhering to due processes and diligence, arguing that it is a very unfair deal to allocate part of a reserved forest to an individual businessman to the detriment of the community of Sukuta and the interest of the country.
Dr. Manjang called on the government to immediately rescind the temporary permit issued to GACH, while also advising the government through the Ministry of Environment to look into other areas and spare the Salagi Forest Part.