By: Sering Mass Jallow
The Gambian government has announced plans to provide fishing boats for residents of Jinack Village in the North Bank Region and to construct a permanent police station on the island.
According to the Information Minister, the initiative forms part of broader efforts to curb cannabis cultivation and irregular migration in the area.
Speaking during the government’s weekly update on West Coast Radio’s Coffee Time, Minister of Information, Media, and Broadcasting Dr. Ismaila Ceesay said the interventions are intended to provide alternative livelihoods for locals who have long depended on cannabis cultivation.
“The government recognizes that for many years, cannabis was the only source of livelihood for many people on this island. What we intend to do now is support the diversification of livelihoods in this region,” Dr. Ceesay stated.
The announcement follows a series of security operations on 28 February and 1 March, conducted by the Drug Law Enforcement Agency (DLEA) and other security forces. The raids reportedly destroyed 60 cannabis farms and burned 14 bags of the herb found on site.
“Sixty farms were uprooted and burned to ashes, including 14 bags of cannabis found on the farms,” Dr. Ceesay said, adding that the operation also dispelled longstanding myths linking the village to spiritual protection against security enforcement.
The minister emphasized that the new police station would strengthen security presence, discourage illicit cannabis cultivation, and curb the use of the island as a route for irregular migration, commonly referred to as the “back way.”
Dr. Ceesay further announces that the government plans to electrify Jinack Village to improve social amenities and foster trade and business opportunities. “NAWEC will soon start a program to electrify the village, which will enhance social services in Jinack and promote trade and investment,” he said.
Jinack Village, a coastal settlement in the North Bank Region, has a longstanding history of cannabis cultivation. Observers attribute this to the soil and topography of the land, which are said to make the cultivation of alternative crops challenging.