By Henry Kargbo

Orange Sierra Leone,  one of the leading Telecommunication  Company has  on Thursday 4^th May 2023 observed environmental health and safety day, with the theme; ‘’Taking sustainable  Steps  in reducing carbon footprint’’.

The event took place at the company Headquarters officer Hill Station, Freetown.

Deliver his keynote address, the Minister of Environment and Climate Change, Prof. Foday Moriba Jaward highlighted the number of issues that the government has done in addressing environment degradation and its negative impact on climate change in the country.

He added  that his ministry  has  established environmental governance which , he noted has  succeeded in integrating  government agencies like Environmental Protection Agency (EPA),  Sierra Leone Meteorological Agency,  Forestry Department , Ministry of Agriculture and the National Protection Area Authority (NPAA).

He told the media that the  journey have been successful as the ministry and agencies are speaking with one voice, adding that the ministry has reviewed the obsolete laws which he noted now have stiff punishment that will serves as deterrent for the environmental offenders.

The minister disclosed that his ministry has set aside twenty five million old Leones (25,000,000)  as fine for any individual caught killing antelopes in all protected areas of the country.

Minister Jaward also pointed out that the ministry has also set up environmental court, judges and lawyers trained to adjudicate cases of the environment.

Government, he disclosed ,  through the  ministry aim to  plant  five million trees by 2023,  and out of this amount, he continued  2.8million trees have already  been planted, he stated.

He commended Orange Sierra Leone for the initiative, noting   government can’t do it alone.

Chief Officer of Orange Sierra Leone, Sekou Amadou Bah encouraged staff and customers of Orange SL, recognizes the daily impact of the environment.

He said the safety and protective steps are needed in achieving the environment and climate change that all and sundry are yearning for.

‘’This day is very important because as human beings, we have to protect ourselves’’, he noted.

Bah disclosed that climate change emergency demands action from everyone, adding that there is need to get zero greenhouse gas emission by 2050, he stressed.

He outlined that climate change on planet earth can result in lower crop yields and nutritional quality due to drought, heat waves, flooding, as well increase pests and plant diseases.

He said scientists have warned that temperature will keep rising for the next Hundred (100) years.

Orange SL Regional Manager South,   Caesar Augustus Bendu told the gathering that people who  studied the earth  say’s  that the  climate is getting warm, which he noted indicated  that the temperature has increase to one degree in the last hundred years.

He said many things can cause climate to change all on its own, adding that the earth’s distance from the sun can change and therefore encourages all and sundry to plant trees always.