By: Mohamed Sahr
In a bid to raise awareness of the preservation of earth through strategic climate change mitigation, the Environment Protection Agency (EPA-SL) celebrated World Ozone Day with the theme “Montreal Protocol Advancing Climate Action” in Bo City.
Since September 16, 1987, the International Day for the Preservation of the Ozone Layer has been used to launch awareness-raising campaigns commemorating the signing of the Montreal Protocol, one of the most successful environmental agreements.
Sheku Kanneh, Chief Director, said Sierra Leone, through the Environment Protection Agency, has joined the global effort to phase out ozone-depleting compounds. This will put the ozone layer on track for recovery and protect all life on Earth while also confirming our commitment to the Montreal Protocol.
“To celebrate this year’s World Ozone Day, we played a friendly match against the Refrigeration, Engineers, and Technician Association (RETA) at the Bo coronation field and won 3:2,” he said. Director Kanneh confirmed that a cycling race around Bo City marked the celebration by highlighting how emissions must be reduced to conserve the ozone. He said they conducted extensive public outreach on the substances that damage the ozone layer as we rode about.
He underscored Sierra Leone’s commitment to implementing the Montreal Protocol through the Environment Protection Agency. He added that, with the assistance of UNIDO, EPA conducted a series of training for technicians on safe refrigeration procedures, donated tools and equipment, certified them, and established centers of excellence in Freetown and, eventually, in the regional areas.
Madam Mimi Sobba-Stevens, Deputy Minister of Climate Change and the Environment, presented plaques honoring RETA and EPA staff who have shown exemplary dedication to the agency’s purpose of protecting the ozone layer.
She affirmed that the event was concluded by distributing full Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) and toolboxes to two technicians from each district across the country to capacitate them on safe refrigeration practices in their course of work.
