By Ralph Sesay
President Bio yesterday launched a National Tree Planting Campaign in the months of August through to September at the Hockey pitch, Wilberforce in Freetown.
The objectives of the campaign, according to the President, is to increase public awareness on deforestation, to plant at least 2 hectares of forests in each district with the full participation of community stakeholders during the campaign period and to contribute to the greenery and beauty of some key Government premises with specific reference to the Western area, amongst others.
The ceremony attracted Government ministers, members of the diplomatic corps and other players working in Environmental management.
The President told the gathering that, despite the enormous economic challenges his government inherited, they are committed not only improve the lives of Sierra Leoneans across the country but to also preserve the environment for the current and future generations.
“…the large scale mismanagement of our forests and forest resources in the past years has resulted in the denudation of vast acreages of land in urban and rural areas. We don’t need to look any further than the terrible tragedy of the mudslide and floods on the 14th August 2017 to realize the quantum of devastation that…, the President maintained.
He reiterated the fact that they, as a government, are launching this campaign because they believe that just one tree planting day in a year is too inadequate to be impactful.
The campaign, according to the President, intends to make tree planting not just a once-a-year pastime but an everyday practice for Government, District Councils, Local and traditional authorities and most importantly individual families.
President Bio singled out and saluted the exceptional role of the army in the exercise while also noting that he is heartened to realize that the Ministry of Agriculture has involved the police, schools, District Councils, tribal authorities and families from various communities.
He concluded by noting that the value of trees is not only for forest cover but also for potential for wealth-creation. It is on the note that he encouraged the growing of economic trees like cashew and cocoa. He assured the public that the campaign will funnel into everyday practice and make Sierra Leone truly green.