A Chinese fish meal company whose “toxic waste pipes” has been forcefully removed from the sea by natives of Gunjur has reinstalled them again as villagers expressed dismay at their actions.
Natives of Gunjur have resumed fight with Golden Lead whose pipes they have forcefully uprooted on charges that they were releasing toxic waste into the sea.
Barely a month ago, hundreds of youth have protested against Golden Lead for allegedly polluting the environment and sea.
By the beginning of the year, the company was dragged to court by the National Environmental Agency for polluting the environment but the case was later withdrawn.
Authorities said an out-of-court decision was reached and the company will withdraw its pipes and pay for any damage that might have been done to the environment.
Since then no action was taken.
The reinstallation of pipes by the company has been seen by the villagers as a show of defiance by the company that apparently has the backing of the Government.
Gambian president Adama Barrow and his environment minister Lamin Dibba are both muted on the issue.
However, during the peak of the Golden Lead controversy President Barrow said on his official Facebook page, Barrow Porg, that they have confirmed some of the activities of the company is not environmental friendly.
Regardless, nothing was done after that.
“The central government is directing this. It boils down to documenting what is going on now for future use,” prominent Gambian activist and native of the community, Dr Scattred Janneh, who led the youths to forcibly dig out the pipes without court order, has said.
“At least we will know who to blame when the area is destroyed and our health is adversely affected. History will be the judge.”
Gunjur has already instituted a lawsuit against the company at Gambia’s high court seeking a 9 million Dalasi compensation.
The activists said they are also planning to confront Gambia “Government officials responsible for the destruction of our environment throughout the world, Protest at “key government agencies in The Gambia, including the NEA” and further pursuing their case to the international stage, including the African Commission on Human and Peoples Rights.
The activists have not reveal a timeline on any of the activities they plan to undertake.
By Mustapha K Darboe
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