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| T O P I C R E V I E W |
| Momodou |
Posted - 04 Feb 2021 : 10:34:39
COMMITTEE ON ENVIRONMENT, FORESTRY AND CLIMATE CHANGE SUMMONED THE MINISTRY OF ENVIRONMENT AND FORESTRY
By Kexx Sanneh
The select Committee of environment, forestry and climate change today summoned the ministry of environment and forestry to set light on the seventeen (17) containers loaded with pterocarpus erinaceus wood locally known as "keno" in mandinka and "wen" in wollof.
The chairperson of the committee Hon. Sainey Touray commence the business by informing the minister and team that they're summon to appear before committee and set light on the containers containing pterocarpus erinaceus wood locally known as "keno" in mandinka and "wen" in wollof park at the buffer zone which was a public outcry on the social media (Facebook).
In his respond the minister informed the committee that as part of their commitment in ensuring implementation of the CITES protocol, on Monday, 25th of January 2021, they gathered information through someone that 17th containers loaded with pterocarpus erinaceus wood locally known as "keno" are Park at buffer zone and the ministry personnel visited the site and found out that 17 containers were found loaded with semi-processed pterocarpus erinaceus or "keno" of various dimensions at the buffer zone ready to be transported to the port for shipment.
The minister informed informed the members that an investigation was carried out to establish the owner of the containers loaded with pterocarpus erinaceus and to see if they are newly processed or old and the investigation reveals that all the 17 containers are newly processed and the 17 containers belong to one Saikou Konteh.
"The 17 containers were inspected one by one and interview was conducted by the personal of the department with Saikou who claimed that the products were the remnants of his last permit that he could not find shipments for them and decided to park them at buffer zone, but the investigators from experience and observation found out that the products are very new and fresh with signs of oozing gums meaning they were parked into containers not long ago". Said the minister.
He (the minister) further told the members recommendation or decision of the ministry in regards to the case is that:
1. Mr. Saikou Konteh will be prosecuted in accordance with the forest act, 2018 of the Gambia
2. The products must be declared forfeited in a court of law and hand over to the state as stated in the forest Act 2018.
3. West Coast Regional forestry office should be allowed to proceed with the issue at the court of law.
Finally the ministry concluded that, since the containers loaded with pterocarpus erinaceus are newly obtained produce and in order to put a stop to such action and also to avoid other from practicing the same act, the culprit Mr. Saikou Konteh and team will be taken to court without any delay. The produce should be confiscated and hand over to the department of forestry.
The committee thanked the #Green up Gambia for the information while the ministry thanked the association for their continuous collaboration with ministry. |
| 2 L A T E S T R E P L I E S (Newest First) |
| toubab1020 |
Posted - 07 Feb 2021 : 14:48:44
QUOTE:"the Committee does not believe in speculation and hearsay. "
===========
SNIPPET:
"Sainey Touray, the Chairperson of the Committee and member of the National Assembly, said the aim of the engagement is for the Ministry and stakeholders to give an update on the said timber / logs, adding that the Committee does not believe in speculation and hearsay. Chairperson Touray said national development is premised on facts and that this is what necessitated his Committee to invite the Ministry and stakeholders, to tell them what they know about the said timber / logs."
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| Momodou |
Posted - 07 Feb 2021 : 10:24:34
Environment Minister to Take Legal Action Against Illegal Dealers in Timber
Foroyaa: February 6, 2021
By: Kebba AF Touray
The Gambia’s Environment Minister Lamin Dibba, has disclosed to members of the National Assembly Select Committee on the Environment that his Ministry will take legal action against illegal dealers of timber and logs in the country.
Minister Dibba said this on Wednesday, when he appeared before the said Committee, to give an account on the MSC containers packed at the buffer zone with loaded logs.
According to Minister Dibba, they assigned the Director of Forestry to conduct preliminary investigations to establish facts on the issue, upon receiving the news of the packed containers.
“Upon investigation by Forestry Officers, it was found that 22 containers were packed at the buffer zone. Out of these 22 containers, 5 were empty and 17 were stocked with processed wood. One of the containers was loaded with round logs,” Minister Dibba said; that from the recommendations of their report sent to the Permanent Secretary, he further directed that the matter be taken to a competent Court for immediate action; that since then, the matter was taken to Court awaiting the first hearing scheduled for the 7th of February 2021.
“This is where we are at the moment. This is not the only experience we had in terms of unscrupulous businesspersons who want to beat the system and do their businesses the way they want to do it. In this particular situation, the person alleged to own the said logs is one Mr. Saikou Conteh. According to our books, Saikou has not obtained any permit or license to carry on with this and as such, all the logs have been taken over by the Forestry Officers as dictated by the Constitution and the matter is before the Court,” Minister Dibba further said; that they have discussed with members of the Gambia Police Force (IGP) and the Crime Management Unit Coordinator who are their partners in this issue, on their stance.
“The Ministry of the Environment together with partners, including Regional Governors and the GPF, are intensifying efforts to ensure that this kind of illegal movement of logs from one region to the other, or from one country to the other is greatly reduced,” Minister Dibba said.
He informed the Committee that since the inception of the present Government, the amount of logs seen at the landing sites along the country’s borders, has been huge; that over the years, this number has reduced to a little over 100 logs at the said landing sites across the country. This he said is a significant reduction compared to years before and their policy of reducing the business in illegal timber and logs is gradually gaining momentum.
Sainey Touray, the Chairperson of the Committee and member of the National Assembly, said the aim of the engagement is for the Ministry and stakeholders to give an update on the said timber / logs, adding that the Committee does not believe in speculation and hearsay. Chairperson Touray said national development is premised on facts and that this is what necessitated his Committee to invite the Ministry and stakeholders, to tell them what they know about the said timber / logs. |
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