By Anna Marie Valentine
Alieu Jawo, Director of Geological Department, under the Ministry of Petroleum and Energy, has informed the new Minister of Petroleum and Energy, Mr Nani Juwara, that the Department has conceived the idea of developing a mineral policy and a mineral cadastre for The Gambia.
He was making a formal presentation to the Minister and his team at the Petroleum Ministry with the aim to acquaint the new minister with the mandate, issues, activities, achievements and plans of the Geological Department.
The Director and team have been on an initiative to revolutionise the Geological Department, as one of the most essential aspects to the economical and infrastructural development of the country.
Further in his presentation, Mr Jawo said plans are also in place to construct a new geological office equipped with a standard lab and with a data management system.
In a bid to strength and capacitate the Department, Mr Jawo said this year they have plans to collaborate, and sign MoUs with other geological survey departments in Senegal, Nigeria and the United Kingdom.
He stressed the importance of sand and the knowledge of sand grade especially for the awareness of the general public. “It is incredibly important to know the sand content of your land before you build on it to avoid issues later,” he pointed out.
He also mentioned clay as an important natural resource, saying clay can be used to create a variety of items like ceramics. “These finished products can be exported to other countries and create revenue for the country,” he explained.
Mr Jawo went on: “With the rise of infrastructural development in the country, the demand for sand is incredibly high. It is a critical mineral resource”.
The Director however lamented the rise of illegal sand mining and price hike of sand by third party sellers; an issue the Department has dealt with in recent years.
To address the situation, he said the Department has embarked on some activities such as media campaign to sensitise the general public on the price of sand and price hiking by middlemen. “The Department has also partnered with The Gambia Police Force to combat illegal sand mining,” he reported.
He underscored the importance of sensitising not just the general public but also stakeholders in the government and the private sector on the importance of the Department and its mandate.
On the challenges, Mr Jawo pointed to the lack of adequate capacity within the Department. “There is a lack of geologists in The Gambia and this is affecting the Department”. In bid to promote education in the geological field, he said the Department in recent years has been touring high schools to encourage students to give geology a chance.
The Minister, Hon. Nani Juwara, acknowledged Director Jawo and his team’s eagerness and efforts to transform the Department, and assured him of the Ministry’s support in this journey.
