Banjul — The Gambian leader, His Excellency Sheikh Professor Alhaji Dr Yahya Jammeh, has strongly condemned the illegal logging of rhun palm in the coastal areas of the country, notably around Bijilo, describing the act as unacceptable.

He said such undertakings at the costal areas will increase the gravity of coastal erosion. The president was speaking last Saturday at the end of another spot visit within the Greater Banjul Area. What is unacceptable is the fact that people are logging at the coastal site, President Jammeh stated, observing that rhun palms are rampantly being felled on the coast by unknown people. "No body should do logging along the coastal area and I don't know what Forestry is doing about it. But this is very serious", he lamented. In fact, what is happening here is not sea erosion but it is rain erosion through flash floods, the president observed, stressing that it is unacceptable to cut the little forest cover at the coastal area.

He said the activity has been going on for long, recalling that there used to be a tick forest of the rhun palms around the area up to Brufut. "Illegal logging is going on. Forestry should not have to concentrate away from coastal area because it is part of the forest cover," he stated and added that they are going to take very drastic measures against those engaged in the activity. He spoke of their resolve to find the people who are engaged in it.

President Jammeh then spoke of government's commitment to take measures to protect the area, revealing that already they have assigned an expert to see the best way out. "We are also going to build cannels so that the water that is flowing can be channeled through those cannels to avoid any erosion," he concluded.