Citizens’ Alliance has made a fresh call for full implementation of environmental laws to protect the Gambia’s coastline.

The opposition party’s call comes after its top brass visited the Sanyang beach where residents have complained of the environmental destruction caused by sand miners.

“We visited Sanyang beach and was appalled by the destruction of marine life and general environmental degradation. Our Environmental laws must be fully implemented to help us conserve our natural resources and protect the environment for the next generation,” Citizens’ Alliance said in a statement.

Meanwhile the Minister of Fisheries and Water Resources had declared to lawmakers that the Senegal-Gambia fisheries and aquaculture agreement was “illegal” since it was not ratified by parliament. 

“It was at that visit that we agreed to have this deal signed. What we failed to do at that point was to bring it to parliament because there was no parliament [as it was in recess],” Fisheries minister James Gomez said.

But he was reminded by lawmakers that the president does not have powers provided in the constitution to sign bilateral agreements without parliamentary ratification.

Reporting by Adama Makasuba