By way of mitigating the adverse impacts of deforestation and flooding in the municipality, and its environs, the Mayor of Freetown City Council, (FCC), Madam Yvonne Aki-Sawyerr last Friday 5th June, 2020 unveiled the Freetown Trees Planting Project at the Annie Walsh Memorial School ground.
The initiative is geared towards minimizing the growing negative impact environmental problems and by ensuring a safe green environment in the Freetown municipality and it surroundings.
For a start the FCC, the municipality management and development partners planted over one hundreds ahead of a million tree planting project. In general, the project is aimed at planting one million trees within the Freetown municipality.
The Freetown Tree Planting Project is expected to last for a period of two years during which the planting of trees will be done in wards and communities.
Making a statement at the occasion, Her Worship Madam Mayor Aki-Sawyerr said that the co-benefits from health, agriculture, employment, water conservation and economic development are too numerous to name in her statement.
She said that trees and forests played essential roles in the mitigation of the impacts of climate change and assured the municipality of her commitment to operationalize the views of the council agenda on protecting the environment.
Welcoming guests at this year’s celebration of World Environment-Day with it theme; “Time for Nature,’’ Mr. Suleiman Parker FCC Environment and Safety Officer, who chaired the event describe project as a symbolic start of the municipal trees planting exercise.
He underscored the needs to encourage global awareness and action for the protection of the environment, whiles acknowledging that with the launched of the National Trees Planting Project, Her Worship Madam Mayor Aki-Sawyer has already answered to the global call to protect the environment.
World Bank Sierra Leone Country Manager, Madam Rugiatu Kamara said, it was auspicious that the Freetown City Council was making the launch of the tree planting and forestation project.
She noted that the World Bank is standing with the Freetown City Council to ensure that the planting of trees to regenerate communities and the environment in the municipality of Freetown, adding that humans are obliged to sustain the environment.
Mr. Patrick Cole of Wangu Farms stated that the on-going climate related impacts is to remind the citizens of the need to take the responsibility of preserving their forests and wildlife habitats.
He also added that trees and forest play essential roles in the mitigation of the impacts of climate change, ensuring that his organization’s commitment to operate in line with the vision of the municipality of Freetown City Council in their agenda of protecting the environment.
He said that his organization join FCC in their journey to plants one million trees as part of the Freetown municipality green environment drive.
Mr Cole noted that this year’s theme for the World Environment Day “It’s Time for Nature’’ and it’s the city’s hope that the seedlings, where planted and grown will serve as a way for the municipality to reconnect with nature, highlight want to work with the residents and partners to make Freetown.
As Freetonians join FCC on this journey to plant the ne million trees as part of the Freetown trees planting campaign, the Mayor Yvonne Aki Sawyerr announced, saying that this year three planting ceremony was done in memory of the late Rev. Linda I. Koroma.
Councilor Alie Murray Conteh, Chairman, Environment Committee thanked all for their support to the planting campaign including GIZ, YARDO-SL, WORLD BANK, FEDURD- CODOSAPA, CRS and Mercury International.
