December 6, 2021
BY: MORISON M. KOROMA (Kenema)
The Ministry of Environment and partners in collaboration with the United Nations Development Program has over the week organized a regional stakeholders’ consultative forum at the environmental health hall, Maxwell Khobe Street in Kenema on the draft national communication strategy.
The reason is to enhance a developed national communication strategy in clipping environmental hazards across the country.
Sierra Leone’s Environment Ministry which was established in November 2019 mandated to implement government environmental policies, plans and programs and to coordinate, monitor, regulate, supervise and advise on all issues of environment in the country and serves as focal point for all international environmental matters.
In his welcome note the council’s representative, Morrison Yannie divulged stakeholders’ acknowledgement on effects of environmental pollution and assured the visitors of vital information.
Dr. Francis Sowa is the consultant for the development of the strategy said that the ministry wants Sierra Leoneans frank opinions in developing a document that has to do with Sierra Leone’s Ecosystem. Sowa emphasized that the manuscript must be reflective of the views of the Sierra Leonean people; thus the need for regional consultations disclosing that every region in the country stands to benefit. He liberated participants on the significance of unearthing environmental odds in the region and encouraged all to have their inputs.
The acting chief director of the director, Edward Bendu reechoed the entity’s curiosity to develop its own national communication strategy as part of its annual work plan. Director Bendu disclosed that the move forms part of their national consultations and will be followed by a national validation process set to be staged in Freetown.
“Our goal is to consolidate all our communication strategies in a stand-alone document, messages about environment needs expertise. We want Sierra Leoneans to be adequately informed on sensitive issues regards environment”, he maintained.
The head of communications at the environment protection agency in Kenema, Willy Silvanus Collier said it takes a performing ministry to accord an open platform for public inputs.
However, participants were drown from all works of life to grace the ceremony.