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Momodou
Denmark
11508 Posts |
 Posted - 19 Mar 2019 : 21:08:04
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http://foroyaa.gm/forestry-staff-accuse-chinese-factory-of-polluting-nyambai-forest/
Forestry Staff Accuse Chinese Factory Of Polluting Nyambai Forest
Foroyaa: March 19, 2019
By Mustapha Jallow
Staff of the Forestry Department have accused a Chinese factory that burns tires within the periphery of Nyambai Forest of polluting the environment.
When this reporter visited the factory he found two officials attached to the Brikama Nyambai Forest Park who told him that they normally see workers coming in and out of the factory, bringing in old tires, but when they enquired, they were told that the Chinese proprietors were burning the waste tires.
‘‘The factory’s main gates are always kept closed and at night, we see black smoke coming from inside the factory,” the Forest Park officials said.
They added that they have made attempts to stop the Company from polluting the environment, especially the new nursery plants within the forest, but to no avail.
Upon his arrival at the main gate of the Chinese factory to enquire about the burning of the tires and the emission of black smoke, the factory Manager denied this reporter entry, but confirmed that they burn waste tires at the said factory. However the Manager said he does not know what the Chinese produce from the old tire.
“The owners of the factory are a couple from China. They have travelled few days ago and before leaving, they told me not to allow anybody to enter until they return. We bring old tires and burn them, while the Chinese couple process the burnt product. I do not know where they sell the product or which country they export it to, after burning waste tires,’’ the factory Manager said.
While speaking to the manager, a white tanker arrived to enter the factory, but the Manager quickly rushed to the driver and asked him to drive back as he was having conversation with strangers regarding ongoing production at the factory.
Residents living nearby say this is the only factory within the area that denies entrance to people and closes its doors twenty four hours a day to people. All other Companies within their vicinity open their gates to anyone who comes to enquire or do business with them. There is no signboard shows what the factory does as business or what they produce and/or export within or outside the country.
An officer of the Nyambai Forest Park who begged for anonymity, said the Chinese factory started operations since 2016. The staff said the factory’s operations have left some serious and negative environmental impacts on their nursery plants within the forest, as a result of the black smoke that emanates from the burnt tires.
“You cannot burn waste tires without getting something out of it. No one knows what they are producing or exporting out of these tires. I went there to ask them to stop the pollution because it affects our nursery plants and human life as well, but I was denied entrance. What do they have to hide from the public? This is a big puzzle that needs to be unearthed,’’ the Forest officer said.
The anonymous Forest officer said some Government officials visited the said factory but since then, nothing has been said and this is a major concern to them and the people living in close proximity to the forest and the said factory. He called on the authorities to take the issue seriously and investigate and inform the people of what is going on at the said factory, before it is too late. He expressed the concern that the factory is producing and exporting things which they do not see or know.
“No signboard is there to show anything that relates to this factory and what they produce. Their gates have always remained closed. They buy lots of fire wood to burn the old tires inside the factory,’’ he said.
He is also wary about the secrecy of the factory’s operation and calls for intervention to stop the emission of the thick black smoke that affects people’s lives and destroys nursery plants within the forest.
Foroyaa will get in touch with the proprietors upon their return as well as the relevant departments and agencies to discuss the issues raised.
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A clear conscience fears no accusation - proverb from Sierra Leone |
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toubab1020
12236 Posts |
Posted - 19 Mar 2019 : 21:39:11
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"Foroyaa will get in touch with the proprietors upon their return as well as the relevant departments and agencies to discuss the issues raised."
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Yet ANOTHER "BURNING ISSUE" for Foroyaa to deal with !!
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"Simple is good" & I strongly dislike politics. You cannot defend the indefensible.
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Edited by - toubab1020 on 19 Mar 2019 21:42:00 |
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Momodou
Denmark
11508 Posts |
Posted - 20 Mar 2019 : 20:33:14
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Forestry Director Accuses Anonymous Company of Polluting Forest
March 20, 2019
Mustapha Jallow/Awa Touray
http://foroyaa.gm/forestry-director-accuses-anonymous-company-of-polluting-forest/
Muhammed Jaiteh, the Director of the Forestry Department on Tuesday, March 19th 2019, said a Chinese Factory that operates within Nyambai forest, is polluting their forest park.
Jaiteh said the disposal of tyre wastes on the ground can also lead to water pollution.
Jaiteh made this statement during an interview with this reporter barely four days after forestry staff accused an anonymous company in the area, of pollution.
“Our concern is the pollution and its effects on our trees. The Chinese throw waste tires on the ground and this can lead to ground water pollution because there are some water tanks within the factory,’’ the director said. He lamented that the pollution has an environmental impact, especially on trees within the forest park, but as well as human lives.
According to Forestry Director Jaiteh, the department of Forestry and the National Environmental Agency visited the said factory and discovered that the Chinese were burning tires; but that they do not know what the Factory produces.
“After our visit to the factory, the NEA promised that they will do a follow-up visit to ensure that they follow the Environmental Regulation Act. But since our visit, I did not receive any information yet regarding what has happened to their assessment regarding the pollution by the factory,’’ he said.
“I did not see anything that factory produces except the burning of old tires. You can see the thrown remains of burnt tires and black smoke that affects our trees. Also there are boreholes within the area and this can pose as a health risk that can pollute ground water,’’ he said.
He confirmed that some senior Government officials also visited the factory. Jaiteh said the land given to the Chinese, was given to them by another institution. He said the Forestry Department is working to regularize the situation.
This reporter also contacted the Deputy Director under the Ministry of Lands Modou-Lamin Jammeh, to shed light on their knowledge of the said factory operating anonymously within the premises of Nyambai Forest. In his response, Jammeh responded that they are not aware of any factory operating in the said forest area. Further investigations will continue by this reporter, to bring this issue to light. |
A clear conscience fears no accusation - proverb from Sierra Leone |
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toubab1020
12236 Posts |
Posted - 17 Apr 2019 : 23:41:57
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By: Mustapha Jallow April 17, 2019
Lamin Samateh, the Programme Officer at the Environmental Legislation Unit of the National Environmental Agency (NEA), has on Thursday alleged that a Chinese factory, Infinity New Energy Enterprise, is operating illegally at Nyambai Forest.
He made this remark during an interview with this paper at the NEA head office in Kanifing.
“We received an application sometime end of 2017 from a proposed Chinese factory that was going to venture into recycling of old tyres to produce fuel. They said they were going to use a technology called Pyrolysis. As part of processing their application, the Chinese proprietors were invited to NEA in 2018 to come and do a presentation on their technology, because that was the first time, we heard such a proposal,” he said.
The NEA officer said they did not know much about the technology, adding that they even thought of conducting their independent investigation into the initiative.
He remarked, “During the assessment, Forestry raised concerns that where the factory is situated is within the forestry buffer.”
According to Samateh, NEA was unable to proceed with their environmental assessment of the proposal after concerns were raised by Forestry. He added that the applicants also failed to submit all the documents required of them by the NEA.
“Whatever is happening at that place now is illegal. No environmental approval was granted to the factory. They started a process, and Forestry Department challenged them along the way, and we had to stop them. We also urged the proprietors to work with forestry department to resolve that issue and submit the evidence that their activities would not affect the area so that we can proceed with their application. That was where we stopped with the Chinese,” he said.
He said they received complaints some months ago that the said factory is recycling waste oil which was not part of the submission they made to the NEA.
He explained that residents living around the factory have also lodged their complaints to NEA as they are inhaling ‘abnormal smell’ coming from the said factory. He said as a result of the concerns raised by the people, they dispatched a team to visit the Chinese factory. He added that a report containing recommendations made by investigators after their visit was submitted to the executive director of the National Environment Agency.
“Once the recommendation is approved, we are going to act against the factory. I’m not trying to pre-empt anything, but I want to believe that the recommendation is to have the factory shut down. If you don’t have an environmental approval, then your factory is not supposed to operate,” he said.
He added that for any factory to operate in The Gambia, it must have approval from the environmental authorities.
He added: “We could even take legal action against them because it is a criminal offence to operate a factory without NEA approval.”
He said the factory was not supposed to burn old tires in the area. He concluded by saying that it is illegal for the factory to burn tires in the area.
Attempt was made to get the views of the factory owners, but it was unsuccessful as the reporter could neither have access to the premises nor the proprietors and staff.
http://foroyaa.gm/nea-officer-says-chinese-factory-operating-illegally-in-nyambai-forest/ |
"Simple is good" & I strongly dislike politics. You cannot defend the indefensible.
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Momodou
Denmark
11508 Posts |
Posted - 27 Apr 2019 : 23:50:22
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Police visit factory at Nyambai Forest
Foroyaa: April 26, 2019
By Mustapha Jallow
http://foroyaa.gm/police-visit-factory-at-nyambai-forest/
Two personnel of the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) of Gambia Police Force yesterday morning visited the Infinity New Energy Enterprise but a co-proprietor of the factory reportedly asked them to leave the premises.
According to Mr Buba Jammeh, a forestry officer, the two plain clothes police personnel attached to Brikama Police station, came to his office and asked him (Jammeh) about the factory issue. He said the two personnel later asked him to accompany them to the said factory, which the NEA says is operating illegally.
Waste product outside the factory
Buba Jammeh, the Plantation section head at Nyambai Forest under the Technical Unit of the Department of Forestry, said when they arrived at the factory, they were lucky that the gate was not locked and they entered in. He added that they met one of the proprietors, a lady who was questioned about what they produce in the factory.
The entrance to the factory
The forest officer said there was a push and pull between the Police investigators and the Chinese proprietor. He added that the Chinese lady suddenly ordered the Police investigators and himself to leave the premises immediately.
“The Chinese lady asked us to leave. The Police couldn’t conduct their Investigation because she referred them to NEA. I also heard one of the officers on phone reporting the matter to his senior,” he remarked.
This reporter revisited the said factory to ensure that he speaks with proprietors this time but a staff of the factory told the reporter the lady had gone to the National Intelligence Agency (NIA) office. However, when the staff phoned the proprietor, she asked the reporter to allow her speak to her lawyer first, before booking an appointment for an interview.
The Chinese proprietor could be heard asking her staff not to allow the reporter inside.
“Don’t allow anyone inside. Don’t give my number to the reporter but take his number,”
Meanwhile, one of the Police detectives confirmed that the Chinese woman was not willing to cooperate during their Investigation and asked them to leave the factory.
“She sent us away. And tomorrow (Friday, 26th April, 2019) we are coming with commissioners to inspect the site,” one of the investigators said.
An official of NEA Lamin Samateh had earlier alleged that a Chinese factory, Infinity New Energy Enterprise, is operating illegally at Nyambai Forest without an environmental approval.
He remarked: “Whatever is happening at that place now is illegal. No environmental approval was granted to the factory. They started a process, and Forestry Department challenged them along the way, and we had to stop them. We also urged the proprietors to work with forestry department to resolve that issue and submit the evidence that their activities would not affect the area so that we can proceed with their application. That was where we stopped with the Chinese,” he said.
He alleged that complaints were received by officials of NEA that the said factory is recycling oil waste which was not part of the submission they made to the NEA. |
A clear conscience fears no accusation - proverb from Sierra Leone |
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Momodou
Denmark
11508 Posts |
Posted - 29 Apr 2019 : 20:05:20
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Chinese Factory Asked to Cease Operation
Foroyaa: April 29, 2019
By Mustapha Jallow
http://foroyaa.gm/chinese-factory-asked-to-cease-operation/
Infinity New Energy Enterprise (INEE), a Chinese factory which has been operating at Nyambai Forest for a year now, has been asked to cease operation by the authorities as Police continue their investigation into their activities.
Waste product outside the factory
According to a staff at the said factory, some senior personnel of the Interpol Unit of the Police, officials of the National Environmental Agency and Immigration respectively have visited the factory. He said the factory was inspected and one of the proprietors; a lady was also questioned by these investigators.
Assistant Superintendent of Police, (ASP) Lamin Njie has confirmed that Police investigators have recently visited the factory. He promised that the Police will update the public on their findings as soon as they finish their investigation into the matter
“The Police were there on fact-finding mission, but we might not be able to go into details because this fact-finding is yet to be completed,’’ he said.
“I am made to understand from the investigators that the factory is not operating as at now until the investigators are done with their fact-finding mission at the said factory,’’ he said.
This reporter revisited the factory at its Nyambai premises on Friday, but the Chinese lady who promised to get in touch with her lawyer before granting this medium an interview, could not be reached for her side of the story as workers at the site said the woman is not in a position to talk to the press because she had already spoken to the Police. |
A clear conscience fears no accusation - proverb from Sierra Leone |
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toubab1020
12236 Posts |
Posted - 29 Apr 2019 : 22:20:12
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"This reporter revisited the factory at its Nyambai premises on Friday, but the Chinese lady who promised to get in touch with her lawyer before granting this medium an interview, could not be reached for her side of the story as workers at the site said the woman is not in a position to talk to the press because she had already spoken to the Police."
A bit of a standoff then ? 
Ahhhhhhh I know thought the Chinese Lady (I suggest) let's get the lawers involved it will rumble on for years before anything actually gets before a court
And so the ALLEGED polution carries on unabated.
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"Simple is good" & I strongly dislike politics. You cannot defend the indefensible.
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Edited by - toubab1020 on 29 Apr 2019 22:21:19 |
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toubab1020
12236 Posts |
Posted - 31 May 2019 : 11:30:39
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This is unusual ACTION !!! 
"Several attempts were made to talk to the proprietors including one of them a Chinese lady but without success."
===========================================================================By Mustapha Jallow May 30, 2019
Personnel of the Criminal Intelligence Unit (CIU) of the Gambia Police Force are still investigating Infinity New Energy Enterprise, a Chinese factory that reportedly uses Pyrolysis to recycle waste tires into heavy duty-fuel.
An official of the National Environment Agency told this paper that the factory uses waste tires to produce heavy-duty fuel, which is meant for big generations, trucks-18-wheelers and sea ship machine.
The NEA staff, remarked: “They were never granted environmental approval to go ahead, but we felt this project would also help the country, then we allowed them to operate,”
He said, “I will not go further because the matter is already in the hands of the Police. So, let’s wait for the outcome of the investigation”, adding “They will send us a copy of the report of their investigation,’’
Buba Jammeh, a Forestry officer said he was invited to the Interpol office at the Police Headquarters in Banjul, regarding the factory issue.
“Interpol unit requested for my full cooperation about the factory activities, which I agreed to go and answer,” he said.
Police Spokesperson ASP Lamin Njie on Monday, 27 May, assured the reporter that once their investigators are done with the investigation, it would be made known to the public but as for now, he can’t go further.
“Investigators are still investigating the said factory. They are inviting persons to come and give account and our Police Intelligence officers are also monitoring the said factory since they were asked to stop operation until investigation is done,’’ he said.
Police investigators, NEA officials and Immigration once visited the place to examine the factory’s operation and bring in residents to determine what kind of activities was being processed at the site.
Several attempts were made to talk to the proprietors including one of them a Chinese lady but without success.
http://foroyaa.gm/criminal-investigation-into-operation-of-factory-continues/
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"Simple is good" & I strongly dislike politics. You cannot defend the indefensible.
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Edited by - toubab1020 on 31 May 2019 11:31:26 |
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Forestry Staff Accuse Chinese Factory Of Polluting
