By: Amadu Wurie Timbo
The National Council for Civic Education and Development in Partnership with the
Ministry of Agriculture & Forestry and the Environmental Minisry have on
Saturday September 18th 2021 conducted a day’s Engagement with Stakeholders in
Makeni to help combate the negative effects of Climate Change in Sierra Leone.
The engagement which was held at the MAF conference Hall located at Agriculture
Road in Makeni brought together Timber Loggers, Charcoal Burners, Community
Heads and many other people whose roles and activities lead to indiscriminate
cutting down of trees.
Jinnah Bockarie the Deupty District Officer- Bombali was
the Chairman of the event who in his opening statement jogged the minds of
attendees about the relationship of Man and plants in gaseous exchange. “Without
enough trees, the Carbon dioxide man and animals give off will remain in the air
and serves as threat to our health as a result of its hotness.” He disclosed.
In
his statement, Lahai Kpaka the Information Officer at the Environmental Ministry
disclosed that the primarily aim of his Ministry is to ensure the safeness of
the environment and its people which one of its urgency is to certify that
citizens live in a safe and enjoyable climate environment.
To him, this can only
be achieved with the involvement and support of community people in placing and
replacing trees.
Mr. Kpaka further reiterated that the Government of Sierra
Leone have sealed a project of planting 5 million of both Ecological and
Economical trees across the country in the period of four years, wherein it has
been lunched in 2019 and will remain in full course onto 2023.
“Last year alone
in 2020, one million two hundred thousand trees were planted, the zest and
passion Sierra Leoneans displayed on the first phase of the project has provided
assurance to increase the number of trees to one million six hundred thousand
trees set to be planted in 2021.”
He spoke. Mr. Ibrahim Jalloh, NaCCED regional
Coordinator-North disclosed to attendees that the unceasing falling down of
trees as a result of Human activities is becoming an unbearable threat that
every resident of the land need to fight against in order to be safe from
Draught and the frightening Global Warming.
He underscored that trees are
central to Human activities and survival, and therefore implore all to join the
course with full energy and passion in multiplying trees across the Nation.
“Lets all as Sierra Leoneans know that there are other generations yet to come,
so lets treat our environment with care mostly in the aspect of climate.” Mr.
Jalloh adviced.
Responding to this Medium, Abu Bakarr Foday Sesay a Service
Provider at Tree Planting who doubles as the Secretary General of the Widows
Network affirmed that the project is positively impacting to communities by
restoring back its climate value.
He pointed out that late delivery of seeds and
seedlings, minute and late financing has been recorded as huge challenges in
implementing the first phase of the project, wherein other seed were unable to
germinate.
Hence, he beseeched for Government to respond promptly to address
those challenges.
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