Gunjur Youth Movement embarks on environmental restoration
By Sulayman Waan
The Gunjur Youth Movement (GYM) recently planted several hundred coconut trees at the seaside aimed at protecting, preserving, and restoring Gunjur coastal area from sea erosion; Buba Y. Janneh, Gunjur based environmental activist has announced.
“Despite several environmental vandalism in GunjurKombo South, GYM has done tremendously well in protecting, preserving, and restoring Gunjur coastal area from sea erosion by planting hundreds of coconut trees. Generally, coconut plantations are actually good for local ecosystems,” he said in a statement shared to this medium.
The Gunjur based environmental activist noted that coconuts are vegan and they are not harmful to animals.
“The Gunjur youth group has registered massive success in the domain of controlling erosion which has further help in stabilizing the beach for other social activities like picnic and resting area for parents and their children and most importantly it has also created job opportunity for few youths who are now establishing juice bars where they sell juice to earn a living,” he added.
He said with all this huddles, GYM believes in the spirit of change for their helpless community.
“As we speak we have registered massive success in environmental restoration in the Gunjur coastal area and in the interior part of Gunjur. We are very proud of ourselves. The struggle continues for a better, healthy, just, and fair environment for all Gambian citizens.”
The Gunjur youth environmental advocacy emanated from the Chinese Fish Meal Factory which had caused youth unrest when they started operation. Residents of the coastal community regarded the Fish Meal Factory as a slayer of their beautiful beach and sea.
In this regard, the activist said: “Notwithstanding, a certain number of youths have organized themselves to challenge the act of the Chinese as they keep on polluting the environment by depositing their untreated waste in the main sea and its surrounding lagoon.”
This act has ended the life of many precious aquatic animals and raised alarm in both community and national level. The said company has also been polluting the community with unpleasant odor which has health implications, he noted.
According to him, the Fish Meal Company has also been overfishing, causing the death of several small fish in the sea.
“However The Gambia Government has taken the side of the aforementioned foreign company despite the fact that it’s causing more plight to the vulnerable community and its people. Youths were arrested and detained by the Gambia government for resisting and protesting against the Chinese fish meal factory,” he alleged.
