Hon. Hamat Bah, Minister of Lands
By Buba Gagigo
The Ministry of Lands, Regional Governments, and Religious Affairs has announced an immediate halt to all development activities within the Cape Point Wetland, following continued violations despite previous warnings.
In a statement released on Tuesday, the Ministry expressed concern over ongoing unauthorized developments in this ecologically sensitive area.
“It has come to the attention of the Ministry that unauthorised developments are continuing within the ecologically critical wetland area at Cape Point, despite prior warnings in a previous press release issued on May 10, 2024. This area has been designated for protection due to its significant ecological importance, and any unauthorised activity threatens its long-term sustainability” the statement reads.
To address these violations, the Ministry has set up a task force to thoroughly investigate the extent of the encroachments and ensure compliance with environmental regulations.
“In response to these violations, the Ministry has established a specialised task force to investigate these encroachments thoroughly. The task force will evaluate the extent of unauthorised activities and assess compliance with all relevant environmental regulations,” the Ministry stated.
The Ministry has also ordered an immediate cessation of all construction and development within the wetland.“Failure to comply with this directive will result in severe penalties, including legal action and the forced removal of unauthorised developments, with the violators bearing the costs of such actions. The Ministry remains resolute in its commitment to protecting our natural resources and will take all necessary steps to ensure compliance with land management policies. This is a final warning and any further disregard of these instructions will result in strict consequences,” the statement concluded.