By: Kemo Kanyi
The leader of Gambia Alliance for National Unity (GANU), Sheikh Tijan Hydara has said that the Barrow Government has failed to protect coastal communities from environmental degradation.
He says communities particularly in Gunjuru, Kartong and Sanyang were not protected from environmental degradation linked to industrial activities.
Speaking in an interview with The Voice on Tuesday, Hydara alleged that the government had failed to protect coastal communities from the excess of foreign industries.
He accused the administration of prioritizing foreign investment at the expense of environmental protection and the livelihoods of coastal communities.
“Under the guise of promoting foreign investment, the Barrow administration has protected toxic fishmeal factories that openly pump untreated industrial waste directly into our ocean,” Hydara alleged.
The GANU leader claimed that pollution was affecting eco-tourism and marine resources, which he said were important to the country’s economy and the livelihoods of fishing communities.
He said a future opposition-led government would introduce an environmental audit and take action against industries found to be violating environmental regulations, including possible closure, fines and compensation for affected communities.
Mr. Hydara also accused the government of undermining Gambia’s revenue generation capacity citing concerns over the handling of economic activities linked to the Senegambia Bridge.
He criticized what he described as inadequate management of the infrastructure’s economic benefits, arguing that traders and transporters were facing challenges due to toll arrangements and administrative delays.
He said the bridge, which was expected to improve trade and ease movement between communities, had instead increased costs for businesses and consumers.
“The government has allowed arbitrary toll structures and bureaucratic bottlenecks to choke the flow of domestic goods,” he alleged.
The opposition leader argued that infrastructure development should be accompanied by effective economic planning to ensure that citizens benefit from such investments.