MOHAMED M. SESAY
Lawmakers of the Fifth Parliament of the Second Republic of Sierra Leone has on the 8th February 2022, passed into law the Wildlife Conservation amendment Act of 2021, the new Act seeks to provide for the protection of wide life conservation across the country.
Updating Members of Parliament, the Minister of Environment Professor Foday Jaward said wildlife conservation of Sierra Leone is very diverse due to the variety of different habitats within the country. He added that available statistics in the recently produced Sierra Leone’s second National Biodiversity Strategy and action (2017-2026), indicates that Sierra Leone is a home to over 2000 species of vascular plants,. He added that 74 are endemic to the West African Sub-region and 90 listed as threatened and near threatened based on International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN).
Professor Jaward continued that the Management of wildlife is plagued with various challenges. He said people are using wild life as pets and illegal trade of life is rampant coupled with many other inimical activities to the management of wide life. He added that the destruction of wild life habitants through illegal mining, timber logging, hunting, erecting illegal structures, bush fires, disposal of hazardous substances and charcoal production resulting to loss of natural heritage and destructive elements to wildlife.
“Mr. Speaker Honorable Members, the amendment of few sections of the wildlife conservation Act of 1972 is a key in addressing the present day challenges posing threat to conservation of our rich wildlife resources and the introduction of genetically viable species”. He said.
On his part, the Opposition Chief Whip Hon. Hassan A. Sesay alluded that the bill is not enough with regards to the protection of wildlife because the bill only addresses the administrative set up.
He therefore, encouraged the minister to do more in protecting wildlife across the country.
Hon. Hassan Sesay also disclosed that the purpose of the 1972 Wildlife Conservation Act was to ensure that the protection of the wildlife is consolidated. He encouraged the Minister to put robust mechanism in place for the protection of wildlife conservation across the country.
Hon. Zainab Catherine Tarawalie of the All People’s Party also reminded the minister for the protection of wildlife conservation across the country.
“We want to see the protection of these animals”. She noted that the just amendment Act has little or nothing on the protection of animals because the amendment is specifically focus on the administrative aspect and nothing on the protection of the wildlife itself.
The Deputy Chief Whip Hon. Alusine Kanneh disclosed that few years ago people were arrested in the Gola Forest within his constituency hunting wild life animals. He added that President Koroma supported the conservation and protection of wild animals particularly in his constituency. He commended the minister and the house of parliament for making another history in protecting wildlife conservation across the country. He concluded by encouraging the house to amend the 1972 conservation Act in order to protect the wildlife conservation across the country.