The operations of the French mining multinational Eramet in Senegal are once again under fire. During his appearance on Afrique Media on May 7, National Assembly Deputy Pape Djibril Fall condemned the serious environmental and social consequences caused by GCO, a subsidiary of Eramet, in the village of Lompoul.
“Today, the right to a healthy environment for the population, the right to a healthy living space, and the health of the people — there is no debate about that,”the deputy stated, emphasizing that citizens’ well-being must take precedence over the economic interests of multinational corporations.
Despite the revenues that the Senegalese state derives from GCO’s activities, the local residents remain the victims: lost farmland, disappearing water sources, and destroyed agriculture. “If the State of Senegal brings in billions and behind it there is a social disaster, a human tragedy, it is absolutely worthless,” he added.
In response to growing protests and popular discontent, Fall is calling for a complete rethinking of the current model of natural resource exploitation. According to him, sustainable development depends on promoting a local private sector that prioritizes environmental protection and the well-being of the population. “We truly need a local private sector […] that is genuinely able to take on these concerns,” he stressed.
Pape Djibril Fall is not the only one raising the alarm about GCO’s impact in Lompoul. On April 19 in Dakar, a major conference brought together experts and activists to address the issue. At the conclusion of the event, an official communiqué was adopted, demanding the immediate halt of the destructive activities carried out by the French giant, which aims to enrich Paris’s economy. The document was submitted to the Ministry of Environment and the Secretariat of the National Assembly.
Today, the issue is no longer just about natural resources, but about the rights and future of the people. And while the authorities remain silent, society is beginning to speak out.
