Gambia: 12 August | GunjurOnline
The leader of The Gambia Moral Congress (GMC) Party, Hon. Mai Ahmad Fatty has called for the closure of the Golden Lead fish meal processing plant on the Gunjur coastline.
Mai Fatty who served as Interior minister and presidential adviser of the coalition government led by H.E President Adama Barrow made this call in a statement published on his Facebook page.
He agued:
“The Chinese fish meal factory must be closed. All of us should support the call by the environmentalists and communities of the Kombo coastline. The efforts and sacrifice of those who have been sounding the alarm bell on this and similar issues should be complimented by all Gambians.
The bilateral fisheries agreements must be revised in the national interest or be rescinded.”
Hon. Mai Fatty justifies his call by pointing to the death of numerous aquatic lives lost in the nearby lagoon as a result of the untreated factory waste water discharged into the local lagoon - known as “Bolongfenyo”, as well the destruction of tourism in the local area as a result of the operations of the Chinese factory.
His words:
“Since Golden Lead was opened in 2016, the nearby lagoon changed colour and its fish and birds started dying. Chinese over fishing in areas reserved for artisanal fishing is harming the nation's environment and marine ecology, while depriving locals of food and jobs. The livelihoods of more than 200,000 Gambians depend on local fisheries.”
Golden lead stand accused of environmental degradation and are locked in a civil suit case with environmental groups in Gunjur at the High Court who are demanding millions of Dalasis from the company for damages caused to the environment and the marine ecology in Gunjur.
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