By Hasbin Shaw in Freetown, Sierra Leone
Shout Climate Change Africa recently commemorated the second World Tree Planting Day on the Goderich Campus of the S.O.S Herman Gmeiner International College and Technical Vocational Institute in Freetown. The ceremony took place on Friday, August 3, 2018.
The SCCA was founded in 2016 under the companies Act No.5 of 2009 by a small group of environmentalists in Freetown who came together to share strategies to tackle environmental problems, which pose threats to the lives and properties in Sierra Leone, other African countries and the world at large.
In her speech at the formal program, the Executive Director of SCCA, Madam Doris Neneh Massaquoi said that it is joyful to commemorate the “World Tree Planting Day” for the second time.
She said that the unfortunate environmental conditions caused by reduction in the number of trees in our land has degraded the land surface and has also necessitated to serious surface run-off during heavy rain falls and squalls.
“Streets flooding within Freetown municipality have also been imminent resulting to destructions, and as Climate Change actors/activists, we are bound to devote our commitments in line with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal that calls for urgent Climate Change Action,” Madam Massaquoi said.
She added that SCCA commends government efforts for the introduction of 1st Saturday nationwide monthly cleaning. She thanked President Julius Maada Bio and his government for cleaning activity which has helped the free flow of water in drainages across the country.
“The capital has been free from garbage, sands and stones. We congratulate the collaborative efforts of Rtd. Brigadier Julius Maada Bio’s vision of the new direction for tackling environmental problems in the country.
“We are also sincerely welcoming the vision of our Minister of Agriculture and Forestry Mr. Joseph J. Ndanema for his worthy plan of seeing our capital a beautiful city with ornamental trees,” she said.
In his keynote address, the Executive Director of Environmental Protection Agency Sierra Leone (EPA-SL) Dr. Foday Moriba Jaward, said that it is a big honor to be part of the symbolic Tree Planting exercises of the “Second World Tree Planting Day”.
He thanked the Shout Climate Change Africa (SCCA) and its partners for commemorating the world event. He said that SCCA and its partners are making an important gesture in making their little but significant contribution in the country in mitigating the environmental problems.
