By: Musa Bassadi Jawara
Let me categorically state that the seaport construction will be an economic calamity, social disaster, and environmental catastrophe for the region’s inhabitants from Saro/Mile Four to Kombo Katong and beyond. I tuned in to the Mengbe Kering Radio program, where the Minister of Transportation and the Director of Ports Authority presented the seaport project, but their presentation was both unconvincing and confusing.
This mega project has national and international implications, making it a significant undertaking for small countries like The Gambia. Even in advanced nations, a project of this size and magnitude requires extensive preparation, including proposal, conceptualization, research, feasibility studies, and environmental impact assessment. A decade-long preparation phase may even be insufficient in some cases.
The difference between feasibility studies and environmental impact assessments is that feasibility studies assess a project’s technical viability by analyzing its financial and operational aspects, while ecological impact assessments evaluate potential environmental effects, like pollution and habitat disruption. EIAs are often required by law, while feasibility studies are done to inform project decisions.
The Sanyang Seaport project’s feasibility studies and EIA report on the project proposal have yet to be published, leaving the country and nearby communities uncertain about its impact.
Constructing the seaport would be a colossal mistake. The director’s interview admissions are just the tip of the iceberg, and the project’s merits are far more concerning. Where will the government find funding for the project? The debt-to-GDP ratio is alarming, and debt repayment is threatening the state’s basic functioning.
Given this government’s inability to build a hotel for the OIC summit within a year, it’s logical to ask: where are the feasibility and EIA reports for the hotel project? This raises concerns about the far more complex seaport project.
It’s unfathomable that a government that handed over its seaport to a foreign entity amid financial and mismanagement issues now plans to build a new seaport with its own economic and environmental challenges.
The government’s incompetence and cavalier approach to governance is despicable and deplorable, making their management of national resources and affairs alarming and unacceptable.
To the wise men of the Gambia government, I urge you not to proceed with the seaport project. It’s not feasible and will disrupt the economy, causing catastrophic consequences. The impact on society, the environment, and aquatic life will be devastating.
In conclusion, this seaport project threatens the social and economic survival of the Gambian people. It must be abandoned, prioritize their well-being, and avert catastrophic consequences.
