EU Partner SLAJ To Clean-Up the Beach
By Mohamed Konneh
Saturday 1st October 2022 witness another massive clean-up exercise at the Lumley Beach with the European Union and partners including the Sierra Leone Association of Journalists leading the venture. The exercise witness huge number of people including organization coming out to help clean the beach that is ridden plastics and other rubbish.
The Saturday beach clean-up is an European Union initiative in keeping the beach clean with the theme; United against marine litters and Act now.
The Sierra Leone Association of Journalists on Wednesday 28th September 2022 made it known that the Association is again supporting the European Union Beach Clean-up event scheduled for Saturday 1st October 2022 at 9:00am –12:00noon at the Lumley – Aberdeen Beach in Freetown.
The President of SLAJ Ahmed Sahid Nasralla during the clean-up said it is part of the organization’s contribution toward collective efforts to protect the environment and raise awareness for the protection of the ocean from plastic litter as the main drivers of the depletion of marine biodiversity and climate change issues.
The SLAJ President said the media has a moral obligation to support worthy courses, and the environment is vital.
“The media plays a crucial role in raising awareness about climate change issues, mobilizing action, tracking policy implementation, and leading advocacy efforts towards the responsible treatment of the environment. So we need to Act Now!, he said.’
The Head of Delegation of the European Union to Sierra Leone, Ambassador Manuel Muller said the beach clean-up event takes place under the worldwide EUBeachCleanup Campaign around the world Coastal cleanup Day.
He said the European Union in Sierra Leone is very happy to cooperate with the Freetown City Council and the National Tourist Board on this occasion and of course with all other partners to have come together to engage for better environment.
Ambassador Muller said it is part of the global effort of the European Union to raise awareness about critical need to protect the environment and keep the oceans clean.
‘The oceans provide the air that we breathe and the food that we eat. Let us reduce plastic pollution of our oceans. Let us protect marine life and biodiversity, not only for ourselves, but also for our children and future generations, he said.’
The Head of the EU Delegation said each year 8 million tonnes of plastic end up in the ocean and that this is the same as dropping every minute over an entire year, a full truck of plastic garbage into the ocean.
He said sixty percent to eighty percent of marine litter globally is plastic and that plastic litter which often sea animals mistake for food is poisoning and degrading marine environment.
‘Ocean pollution has an extreme impact on the environment and marine life and on our own health and life. Particular, the national tourists’ board and the Freetown City council play a crucial role in keeping the beach clean, he said.
Ambassador Muller said the EU is committed to the protection of the environment within and outside its borders.
