By Madiba Singhateh
The National Environmental Agency (NEA) on Tuesday, 30 July 2024, commemorated World Environment Day at their headquarters in Kanifing.
Sheikh Alkinky Sanyang said World Environment Day is celebrated every 5th June. This year’s commemoration will go along with the planting of coconut trees on the premises of the Agency.
Speaking on this year’s theme of the commemoration on “Land restoration, desertification and drought resilience”, Abubacarr Kujabi, former project coordinator of GCCA+ said the theme is not just an ordinary call for action to restore the degrading lands of the country, but to act against desertification by planting more trees, and ensuring their growth. He said The Gambia is among countries that celebrate or commemorate World Environment Day, adding the country has also benefited from EU funding through GCCA+ project which assists coastal communities to adapt to the impact of Climate Change. This, he said, is in line with this year’s world environment day commemoration to make the coastal areas green through the ecosystem-based approach.
He said planting coconut trees is a good activity but taking care of coconut trees until they reach maturity is time consuming and needs dedication.
Speaking on the occasion, Director of NEA Dawda Badjie, said the commemoration of the day was created by United Nations General Assembly in 1972, and that the day is celebrated by millions of people and organizations across the globe by sharing experiences, challenges and solutions to protect the environment. He said the global theme for this year’s commemoration is a call from the UN General Assembly for all and sundry to participate in this great ecosystem restoration through our individual and local actions.
The NEA director said ecosystems are more vital to life, yet they face enormous pressure from human activity. He said restoring the ecosystem means more than planting trees; that it involves reviving natural processes and relationships.
In conclusion, Dr. Badjie said the NEA will continue its environmental education programmes in schools through their outreach activities, and conducting community based awareness creation events through focus group discussions and radio and television programs.
According to him, environmental legislation including the Environmental Impact Assessment and the Anti-Littering Regulation 2007, the Ban on Plastic Bag Order 2015, is enforced to minimize a lasting negative impact on human health and the environment.
In his statement on the commemoration of the day, the Minister of Environment, Rohey John Manjang, said they should reflect on the importance of land, as the foundation of ‘our sustenance, our economic activities and our cultural heritage’. She, however, said that unfortunately, their activities and climate change have led to the degradation of these resources over the years causing desertification and increasing the frequency and severity of droughts.
These challenges, the Minister said, threaten our food security, livelihoods and existence particularly for some communities.
Speaking further, the Minister called on all Gambians and those living in the Gambia, to join hands in this noble cause.
“Whether you are a farmer, a business owner, a student or a policy maker, each of us have a role to play in restoring our land and building resilience,’’ the Minister said, adding that together, ‘‘we can archive more significant and sustainable outcomes”.
This year’s commemoration witnessed a march pass by students from various schools, and the Police Band, who provided the participants with musical entertainment.
