By: Audrey Raymonda John
The principal Ozone Officer at the Environmental Protection Agency Bashiru Kargbo on Thursday 20th April 2023 at the Civil service training College holds inception meeting titled the Kigali Hydro Flora Carbon HFC implementation plan development for Sierra Leone.
There were representatives from various institutions in Sierra Leone who gave their own experience.
Mr Kargbo revealed that for the success of HFC he said over the years Sierra have been using this substance in the cooling sectors and foam manufacturing, paint manufacturing as well as in different kind of articles.
It was stated that the multi-protocol which is providing all of this support to Sierra Leone is the body that is responsible for the protection of the Ozone layer.
He further said each and every country on planet earth signed to the protection of the Ozone layer which means we must control the production and consumption of this substance.
He said the data collection covers various sectors and that they are targeting the Foam manufacturing industry, paint manufacturing industry, SLRSA, importers of different cooling systems and chemicals products, supermarkets, Hospitals, Hotels and Mortuary.
He said they have sent questioners to all government institutions and mining Company in Sierra Leone he said they are expecting to have data collection starting from the 25th of April ending on the 10th May 2023.
He said they have a pre tested questionnaire and they were sent ahead of time to all institutions for them to achieve their goals.
He said at the end of the exercises Sierra Leone must have Data on HFC and they will have a base line from which as of 2024 the base line must be established.
It was further stated that they will start to do face line schedule and they will start to bring down the amount of agencies operating in the country.
He said they have to capture institutions in country that engage in trade refrigeration and Air conditions technicians to work on things that has to be repaired.
He said this data will bring out the amount of expertise in the country.
He concluded that they’re also looking for the amount of female technician we have in the country he said at the end of this they will have fifty female Technicians in the country.