By Ibrahim Kabba Turay
As part of their 78 years celebration, the United Nations in Sierra Leone has embarked on a massive cleaning at Lumley Beach.
The initiative brought together UN staff and other development partners,to promote responsible waste management and preservation of natural resources.
The beach clean-up also promoted cooperation and team-building, while raising public awareness on the impact of plastic and other forms of waste in the ocean and the role that each anther can play in addressing that global issue.
The United Nations Resident Coordinator in Sierra Leone, Babatunde Ahonsi, speaking to journalists, said the beach cleaning-up was what they always do as part of their effort to support the government and the people of Sierra Leone.
He said they were doing the beach cleaning-up to be able to solve the impact of climate change, adding that one of the agencies, the International Migration Organization (IOM), has been doing it regularly.
He maintained that they thought that one of the ways to mark the 78 years celebration was to join the IOM to clean up the beaches.
He continued that all the UN family in Sierra Leone were present and were part of the cleaning, adding that that was what they did as UN to ensure Sierra Leone develops climate resilience and for the country to take advantage of their natural resources to advance its development priorities.
He further said that, it’s not a one-off exercise and that they will continue to support the project because the IOM was doing it regularly.
He added that that was part of what they did to ensure that climate action is an important part of the responses and intervention for them to achieve the natural priorities of the country.
“When a country takes care of its environment, the environment will be better for them, and the communities and country at large. Taking care of nature is everyone’s responsibility, is not just for government, NGO or the UN, when we all do our bit, the environment will be a better palace,” he said
He urged Sierra Leoneans who are in the habit of using and throwing, to start thinking about circular economic, how to transition waste to wealth.
He added that he is happy the IOM and the UNDP were also working on that to see how they can use the waste generated and turn them into a viable product.
