Youths in Sanyang say they will take legal action against a Nessim fishmeal factory accused  of destroying the environment and putting the health of the community at risk.

Muhammed Janneh, an environmental activist, told a village meeting convened by Sanyang youths, that the Mauritanian owned fishmeal factory continues to damage the environment and endanger the lives of villagers.

“We are in a very destructive environment as people living in a community. It is very frustrating to have a private company established within the middle of the village giving them sickness and daily environmental damage,” he said.

“It is important as residents to (find) a final solution towards this problem. This cannot be accepted as (our) health is daily under threat.”

Mr Janneh advised that taking legal action for the ecological damage caused by the fishmeal factory can only serve as a solution to the existing environmental destructions in the village.

He added: “I think we should start putting up plans as a community to take the factory to court. 

“This can be done if we all come together as villagers and defend our rights as citizens. 

“For how long have we been calling the attention of government who always pays a deaf ear to our concerns? 

“It is not fair to continue destroying our livelihoods as natives.”

Yusupha Jassey, secretary to the Village Development Committee, VDC, said the community of Sanyang has for the past years engaged the authorities on the daily environmental damages created by the factory without any concrete answers. 

“For the past years the community of Sanyang has been engaging the government on the plight of the community regarding the environmental damages caused by the fishmeal factory. 

“The only option to end the destructions is to take legal action against the company.”

Reporting by Adama Makasuba