Shout Climate Africa and the Environment Protection Agency have awarded President Bio with two prestigious honorary awards: the National Climate Change Hero and Environmental Conscious President Awards respectively at the annual Environmental Care Awards 2019 at the Miatta Conference Hall in Freetown.
The awards were presented by Ms. Kobi Bentley, Head of DFID SL through the Minister of Tourism and Culture, Dr. Memunatu Pratt.
President Bio won the dual decoration in acknowledgement of his commendable ventures demonstrated by his new direction government in the fight against climate change.
It was also noted by the organizers that the Republic of Sierra Leone under his leadership, has been implementing several disaster mitigation plans critically designed to reduce flooding and other environmental hazards.
The organizers also noted the recent establishment of a new Ministry of Environment essentially designed to tackle environmental issues in the country and the ongoing National Cleaning Exercises for which, according to them, the President deserves special recognition award:
Sierra Leone’s Minister of Tourism & Culture was also amongst many others honored as the Dedicated Minister of the Year Award.
This, the organizers say, was won based on her commitment in achieving the ministry’s vision by undertaking favorable beach cleaning programmes around major tourist attraction sites in the country.
The Bonthe Island is no exception of this exercise. Dr. Pratt has also been recognized for collaborating with NGOs and other institutions to achieve the missions for environmental safety.
The Minister of Environment while receiving the awards on behalf of President Bio appreciated Shout Climate Change Africa (SCCA) team for following the leadership initiatives of President Julius Maada Bio in maintaining environmental sanity in the country.
Madam Pratt thanked the organizers for recognizing their works in terms of cleaning and other climate change education activities done with coastal communities and supported by United Nations, UNDP and the National Tourist Board.
Mr. Simon Mustard, British High Commissioner, received this year’s Climate Change Pioneer Country award on behalf of Britain and it was presented by Mrs. Nyabenyi Tito Tipo, FAO Country Representative.
Britain received the Climate Change Pioneer Country Award for the country’s resilient dedication towards tackling the current threat facing our planet – climate change and other environmental related phenomena.
The British High Commission is a major development partner to Sierra Leone that fights to ease our environmental stress.
The British High Commissioner has stated that the responsibility to take climate change actions should be everybody’s duty since our inaction to tackle environmental problems may result to far reaching effects on the existence of our planet and the living creatures that depend on this.
President Bio Crowned Climate Change Champion
