By Musa Paul Feika
As part of its yearly Environment Week Celebrations, Orange SL, the leading telecommunications service provider in Sierra Leone, in collaboration with the International Organisation for Migration (IOM), have conducted a cleaning exercise at Aberdeen Beach in Freetown with the aim to protect the environment from the effects of climate change.
This year’s celebration started on Monday, 27th May 2024, at Orange SL Headquarters at Hill Station in Freetown, with the theme being: “The earth is all we have, let’s go green”.
During the cleaning exercise at Aberdeen Beach, the Chief Climate Officer of Orange SL, Danetta Young, welcomed everyone saying that the day is a very exciting day as they are embarking on the cleaning exercise to protect marine life and habitat.
She affirmed that the third part of it is to protect the environment and climate change.
‘I want everyone to know this today that for every piece of dirt you picked, you are contributing to environmental sustainability and also taking the lead to protect the environment,’ Madam Young assured, and encouraged those present to do so honourably.
The Senior Project Assistant at the International Organisation for Migration (IOM), Sia Moses Kabba, said she is pleased and delighted to see Orange SL (OSL) showing their commitment to the environment.
Madam Kabba said IOM as an organisation has been doing a similar exercise for a year now, which according to her has been yielding results.
Madam Kabba assured that their relationship with Orange SL is to see how they can put Sierra Leone forward in terms of the environment and climate change.
She concluded by heaping praises on everyone present for their contributions.
The Community and Outreach Officer in the Office of the National Tourist Board Sierra Leone, Emmanuel Brima Sheriff, on behalf of the Minister of Tourism and Culture Affairs, thanked Orange SL and IOM for helping them clean the beach.
Mr. E. Sheriff admonished everyone to serve as an ambassador to Sierra Leone, disclosing that some people have been sending negative messages about Sierra Leone but at the same time are expecting good things for the country.
Mr Sheriff assured that sending negative messages around the globe about Sierra Leone is not good for the country, and called on Sierra Leoneans to start sending good messages about the country.
Emmanuel Sheriff said the Minister of Tourism and Cultural Affairs has announced the promotion of domestic tourism in Sierra Leone, and called on everyone to help the ministry promote tourism in the country.
‘Tourism is everyone’s business and it needs a collective effort,’ Mr Sheriff asserted.
The Public Relations Officer of Orange SL, Mabel Mason, welcomed everyone and thanked them for their efforts.