By Nelson Manneh
Honourable Modou Lamin B. Bah, the National Assembly Member for Banjul North, has raised concerns over what he describes as the deliberate and ongoing environmental destruction of the Tanbi Wetland in Banjul. The lawmaker said that despite earlier government assurances to halt all construction activities in the ecologically sensitive area, illegal developments are once again taking place.
“When Banjul experienced a flash flood in July and August 2022, caused in part by unauthorised construction in the Tanbi Wetland, poor drainage and sewage systems, and the failure of the Bund Polder Station (Pa Machine), the government pledged to stop all construction in the area,” Bah recalled. He said this decision followed public outcry led by concerned youth and environmental advocates. However, Bah claims that the same harmful activities have resumed. “There is now deliberate cutting and destruction of the mangrove ecosystem and backfilling of the wetland with rocks, stones, and sand, dangerously close to the Bund Polder Station,” he said, adding that this is happening without any public explanation or official communication about the project’s purpose. Bah criticised both the Central Government and the Banjul City Council for failing to act decisively to protect the wetland, which he warned puts Banjul at severe environmental risk.
“I reached out to the National Environment Agency (NEA) and other relevant bodies to inquire whether they were aware of or had approved these activities, but I am still waiting for a response,” he said. He called on all parties involved in the destruction to immediately cease their activities, emphasising that the wetland must not be allowed to be destroyed in silence.
“We will not stand by and watch Tanbi be wiped out. Let us be part of the solution and not the destruction,” Bah declared. He reiterated his commitment to continue advocating for the protection of the wetland and promised to work with relevant institutions and stakeholders to safeguard the environmental future of Banjul. “As a National Assembly Member, my doors remain open to consultation and collaboration on any matter that concerns the well-being of our people and our environment,” he said.
