By Madiba Singhateh
The Ministry of Environment on Monday 9th January 2023, commenced a three day retreat at the Sindola hotel in Kanilai, in Foni Kansala district, to discuss the various challenges that they are being confronted with and the way forward.
The retreat which is annually organised by the Ministry for its line departments and agencies, will also gauge the progress, successes and challenges faced during the implementation of the 2022 work plan, in order to provide a way forward for 2023, and to develop a budget for the year.
Delivering her opening statement, the Minister of the Environment, Climate Change and Natural Resources Rohey John Manjang, said they have all agreed to work and give their best to their various assignments, without undue interference, as compared to past experiences.
“Everybody has the liberty to discharge the affairs of their assignment as they deem fit, based on their expertise and experience. That is what we call freedom of implementation but the challenge lies ahead of whom much is given, because if one is given the freedom to discharge and implement assignments, then one should be re-assured to report and also to deliver,” she stated.
Alieu Njie, the Permanent Secretary at the said Ministry said they are looking into what they have done and the challenges and the way forward.
According to him, they are not saying that they are going to achieve 100% success, but they simply want to ensure that the mistakes that happened in 2022, are confronted and tackled in 2023.
“This is our ambition and the objective is to improve on the areas where we had shortcomings, and improve greatly on what has been achieved,” he said. PS Njie described 2022 as challenging, despite what has been achieved, and further said that they want to overcome and improve on all the sectors despite the hurdles. He said there are issues to be addressed such as climate change and deforestation but said they will expand to involve everybody including those in the local communities; that their expectation is to have a roadmap that will assist them achieve the difficult areas, and concludes that with the technical team they have on the ground in collaboration with the Minister, they will be able to achieve progress in those areas that were difficult for them, in the past years.
