By: Haddy Touray
Banjul Mayor, Rohey Malick Lowe has announced plans to stage a peaceful protest on 27 August at Denton Bridge over what she described as unpaid royalties allegedly owed to the Banjul City Council (BCC) by Sino Majilac Sand Mining Company.
Speaking in a telephone interview with Kerr Fatou on Saturday, Lowe said the council had spent nearly two years attempting to recover the payments, adding that the dispute had disrupted the council’s budget and delayed development projects in the capital.
She said the company had been operating at Denton Bridge since 2021, citing a public advertisement issued that year as evidence.
According to the mayor, the council had engaged the company, the relevant government ministry and the Accountant General’s Department on several occasions but had received only assurances that the matter would be resolved.
Lowe said a committee established under a memorandum of understanding signed by the council’s former Chief Executive Officer and other parties was responsible for overseeing the payment of royalties.
“We exhausted every possibility to make sure that they paid the royalties to Banjul City Council, but to no avail,” she said.
The mayor also questioned what she described as conflicting explanations over whether the company’s activities constituted sand mining or dredging, arguing that the memorandum of understanding clearly addressed the issue.
She said the anticipated royalties had already been incorporated into the council’s budget and were intended to finance projects, including developments at Crab Island, youth empowerment programs, a city health survey and a tree-planting initiative.
According to Lowe, the absence of the expected revenue has disrupted implementation of those projects.
The mayor alleged that between 80 and 100 trucks transport sand from the site each day and estimated that the operation could generate between D200 million and D300 million annually. She did not disclose the amount the council claims it is owed.
Lowe said she submitted an application to the Inspector General of Police on 21 July seeking authorisation to hold the demonstration, which is scheduled to take place from 1100 GMT to 1300 GMT at Denton Bridge.
She described the planned protest as a call for justice rather than a demand for additional benefits.
“We are just asking for what we deserve. We are asking for justice for Banjul,” she said.
Asked whether the planned protest had the backing of BCC councillors, Lowe said she was pursuing the matter as part of her responsibility as mayor, adding that she could not speak on behalf of the councilors.
No immediate reaction from Sino Majilac Sand Mining Company or the government authorities mentioned by the mayor was available at the time of filing this report.
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