Momodou Kotu Cham, the Secretary of State for Forestry and Environment, has expressed his department’s willingness to address the menace of hippopotami invasion of rice fields.

Honourable secretary Cham was speaking to reporters on Saturday at the President Jammeh’s Kanilai farm in Foni Bondali, Western Region. His statement comes at a time when there is a huge outcry from the people of the Central River Region over the massive invasion of rice fields by hippopotami in the region.

He told reporters that his department of state is willing to do something about the situation, saying that ‘there must be a way out’ in tackling the trend. “He further told reporters that efforts are being made to find ways and means of preventing the animals from invading the rice fields.

“The population in the region has grown and the farms were also extended into the hippopotami gracing areas. At the same time, the hippo population has grown out of proportion. Suffice to say that such a situation resulted to a conflict,’’

he explained.  Meanwhile, he expressed his will to see farmers  get access to their rice fields for harvesting as soon as possible.