𝐄𝐃𝐈𝐓𝐎𝐑𝐈𝐀𝐋: 𝐃𝐫𝐞𝐝𝐠𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐢𝐧 𝐒𝐚𝐦𝐛𝐮𝐲𝐚𝐚, 𝐓𝐮𝐣𝐞𝐫𝐞𝐧𝐠 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐊𝐚𝐫𝐭𝐨𝐧𝐠 — 𝐖𝐡𝐨 𝐖𝐢𝐥𝐥 𝐏𝐫𝐨𝐭𝐞𝐜𝐭 𝐎𝐮𝐫 𝐂𝐨𝐚𝐬𝐭𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐞?

The arrival of heavy equipment in Sambuyaa for dredging activities has brought renewed attention to the future of Gunjur’s coastline. With two additional dredging sites reportedly planned for Tujereng and Kartong, the issue extends beyond a single community and raises broader questions about environmental protection, commercial interests and the future of The Gambia’s Atlantic coast.

Dredging equipment seen earlier today heading to the dredging site at Sambuyang

The three sites are expected to be operated by different companies, making transparency, effective regulation and individual accountability essential.

The company involved in the Sambuyaa operation has reportedly stated that its activities will help backfill ditches left behind by uncontrolled sand mining, while some of the sand recovered through dredging will be sold.

On the surface, rehabilitating areas damaged by uncontrolled sand extraction may appear to offer a practical solution to an existing environmental problem. However, the commercial sale of dredged sand raises important questions about the balance between environmental restoration and business interests.

𝐂𝐚𝐧 𝐝𝐫𝐞𝐝𝐠𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐫𝐞𝐩𝐚𝐢𝐫 𝐲𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐝𝐚𝐲’𝐬 𝐞𝐧𝐯𝐢𝐫𝐨𝐧𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐚𝐥 𝐝𝐚𝐦𝐚𝐠𝐞 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐭 𝐜𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐨𝐦𝐨𝐫𝐫𝐨𝐰’𝐬 𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐛𝐥𝐞𝐦𝐬?

That is the question the people of Gunjur, Tujereng and Kartong deserve to have answered.

Three dredging sites, different companies, one shared coastline

The prospect of dredging operations in Sambuyaa, Tujereng and Kartong should prompt the relevant authorities to consider the potential environmental implications of all three projects.

Although different companies are expected to operate the sites, the coastline is a shared natural environment. The sea, coastal currents and movement of sediments do not recognise company boundaries or administrative divisions.

Depending on their location, scale and methods, dredging operations can disturb seabed habitats, increase suspended sediment in the water and potentially alter patterns of coastal erosion. Such effects are not inevitable, but neither should they be dismissed without proper scientific assessment.

Each company must be individually accountable for its operations, environmental commitments and compliance with applicable laws and regulations. At the same time, the authorities should consider whether the combined effects of the three projects could place additional pressure on the wider coastal environment.

This requires more than separate approvals and assurances. It calls for independent environmental assessments, appropriate monitoring and meaningful public disclosure.

Gunjur’s coastline supports fishing, tourism, local businesses and community livelihoods. Tujereng and Kartong also have coastal environments and communities whose interests deserve equal consideration.

Different companies may operate the three sites, but the responsibility to protect the coastline rests with every operator and the authorities overseeing their activities.

𝐁𝐚𝐜𝐤𝐟𝐢𝐥𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐢𝐬 𝐰𝐞𝐥𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐞, 𝐛𝐮𝐭 𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐦𝐮𝐬𝐭 𝐛𝐞 𝐠𝐞𝐧𝐮𝐢𝐧𝐞

The Sambuyaa company’s stated intention to backfill ditches left behind by uncontrolled sand mining deserves serious consideration.

Uncontrolled sand extraction at Sambuyang have left behind deep pits and degraded landscapes, creating safety hazards and contributing to environmental damage. If dredged material can safely and appropriately be used to rehabilitate these areas, the outcome could be beneficial.

However, successful environmental restoration involves more than filling holes with sand.

The material used must be suitable for the intended purpose, and the rehabilitation work must be designed to avoid creating new drainage, erosion or ecological problems. The restored areas should be independently assessed, with clear responsibility for correcting any shortcomings.

The public should be informed about the quantity of sand expected to be dredged, how much will be used for backfilling and how much will be sold.

Without this information, the people of Gunjur may struggle to determine whether environmental rehabilitation is delivering meaningful benefits or merely serving as one component of a commercial operation.

The same principle should apply to the proposed operations in Tujereng and Kartong: environmental promises must be supported by evidence and independently verifiable results.

𝐒𝐞𝐥𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐝𝐫𝐞𝐝𝐠𝐞𝐝 𝐬𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐫𝐚𝐢𝐬𝐞𝐬 𝐟𝐮𝐫𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐪𝐮𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬

The company’s intention to sell some of the sand recovered in Sambuyaa deserves public scrutiny.

Commercial sand sales are not necessarily incompatible with responsible environmental management. However, the public interest must take precedence over commercial gain.

How much sand will be extracted? Where will it be taken from? Where will it be sold or deposited? What controls will prevent the operation from causing unacceptable environmental damage? And who will be held responsible if the project fails to deliver its stated rehabilitation objectives?

𝐓𝐡𝐞𝐬𝐞 𝐪𝐮𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬 𝐬𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐥𝐝 𝐛𝐞 𝐚𝐧𝐬𝐰𝐞𝐫𝐞𝐝 𝐜𝐥𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐥𝐲.

The relevant authorities should also clarify the commercial arrangements, applicable permissions and monitoring requirements governing each site, subject to the appropriate public disclosure rules.

Gunjur has already experienced concerns over uncontrolled sand mining. The community should not find itself facing a new environmental problem under the banner of addressing an old one.

𝐖𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐞 𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐞𝐧𝐯𝐢𝐫𝐨𝐧𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐚𝐥 𝐚𝐬𝐬𝐞𝐬𝐬𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐬?

Before dredging proceeds further in Sambuyaa or begins at the proposed sites in Tujereng and Kartong, the relevant authorities should ensure that the required environmental assessments and approvals are in place.

These assessments should examine the condition of the coastline before work begins, the potential effects on marine habitats and fishing grounds, changes in sediment movement and the possibility of increased erosion in neighbouring areas.

They should also establish clear baseline measurements against which subsequent environmental changes can be assessed.

Given that three different companies are expected to operate the sites, each operator should be required to meet the appropriate environmental standards. Where the projects could have interacting or cumulative effects, these should be examined as part of a wider coastal assessment.

Monitoring must continue throughout each operation and after its completion. If evidence emerges of unacceptable environmental harm, there must be a clear mechanism for corrective action, including suspension of activities where necessary.

Environmental protection must not be reduced to paperwork completed before machinery arrives. It must be an ongoing responsibility.

𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐦𝐮𝐧𝐢𝐭𝐲 𝐦𝐮𝐬𝐭 𝐧𝐨𝐭 𝐛𝐞 𝐥𝐞𝐟𝐭 𝐢𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐝𝐚𝐫𝐤

Residents, fishermen, environmental organisations, community leaders and local authorities should have access to meaningful information about the three projects.

Consultation should take place before irreversible decisions are made, not merely after equipment arrives on site.

The public deserves clear answers about the purpose of each operation, the companies responsible, the quantities of material to be dredged, the destinations of the sand and the safeguards intended to protect the environment.

The authorities should also explain how compliance will be monitored and how complaints or reports of environmental damage will be investigated.

Each company must be held accountable for its own activities. At the same time, the government and relevant regulatory institutions must demonstrate that they have the capacity and willingness to enforce environmental standards fairly and consistently.

The people of Gunjur, Tujereng and Kartong should not have to wait until damage becomes visible before their concerns are taken seriously.

𝐃𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐥𝐨𝐩𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐦𝐮𝐬𝐭 𝐧𝐨𝐭 𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐞 𝐚𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐜𝐨𝐚𝐬𝐭’𝐬 𝐞𝐱𝐩𝐞𝐧𝐬𝐞

Dredging is not inherently harmful, and properly assessed projects may serve legitimate purposes. Similarly, rehabilitating areas damaged by uncontrolled sand mining is a worthwhile objective.

But the promise of restoration must be supported by evidence, and the commercial value of sand must never overshadow the public interest.

With dredging activities taking shape in Sambuyaa and two additional sites reportedly planned for Tujereng and Kartong, now is the time for the authorities to demonstrate that coastal development in The Gambia is being guided by sound environmental science, transparent decision-making and meaningful community participation.

The fact that three different companies will operate the sites makes clear lines of responsibility even more important. Each operator must be answerable for its own environmental performance, while the authorities must ensure that the wider interests of the coastline are not overlooked.

Gunjur, Tujereng and Kartong deserve development that creates genuine benefits without placing their natural environment and livelihoods at unnecessary risk.

Our coastline is a natural asset, a source of livelihood and an inheritance for future generations. Protecting it is a responsibility that cannot be delegated to commercial operators alone.

Gunjur Online therefore calls for transparency over the Sambuyaa operation and full public clarity on the reported plans for Tujereng and Kartong. The public deserves to know what is planned, what safeguards are in place and how the long-term health of the coastline will be protected.

The time to ask these questions is now, before the operations expand and before any potential damage becomes difficult to reverse.

Development should repair what has been damaged, protect what remains and leave future generations with a coastline they can be proud of.