By: Sheikh Alkinky Sanyang
The Head Chief of Jarra West has called on the people of his community in particular and the country at large to change their attitudes towards the environment by not using banned plastic bags in a bid to provide better health for the people, domestic animals and the biodiversity. He warned that the Anti-Littering Regulation and the Ban on Plastic Bag Order 2015 are laws and regulation designed to protect human health, biodiversity and the environment.
Alh. Yahya Jarjusey make these statements after a meeting with NEA officials during their regional sensitization tour of LRR by the Agency`s Environmental Education & Communication Unit and its Liaison Officers to create awareness through focus group discussions with the Regional Governor, Area council, District Chiefs, village Alkalolus, community members and finally capped with a radio sensitization phone-in programme at Soma FM.
This tour of the region of LRR also availed the NEA team to meet and discuss with relevant stakeholders in the region in an effort for them to take stewardship of their own environment and to raise peoples` low understanding on environmental issues.
He therefore called on all to desist from such negative practice of digging soaker ways outside compounds (in the street) for waste water collection and warned that any person, tenant or compound owner who allows his/her waste water into the street in one way or the other will be taken to courts without delay.
Jarjursey however told the NEA team that the negative effects of poor sanitation in our communities will have serious impact on our health and the surrounding environment and if the trend continues every inhabitant in our nation will be adversely affected directly or indirectly.
Recounting on the antagonistic negative impact of plastic bags, the District Chief revealed that ingestion of plastic by herds has shattered his hope after he lost over four heads of cattle, and many other farmers too share the same fate as their domestic herds ingest plastic bags.
The Jarra Head Chief reported that he was having two machines that produce water in plastic bags, but with the advent of the Ban on Plastic bag order in 2015, he said he immediately stop the business and sold the machines. He said the business registered heavy loses financially during the process but he preferred the losses than to go against the laws of the country.
Furthermore, the Jarra West Chief dismissed the indiscriminate dumping of waste at street corners and junctions, but to take them designated waste collecting points. He also called on the Area Council too to help provide them with waste containers, dustbins, and other waste collecting equipment for easy facilitation of the cleansing process.
Gambia is a small country, Seyfor Yahya Jarjursey posited adding that if people should change their attitudes on the environment, our nation would be transformed into one of the cleanest and healthiest in Africa in only a few years from now. In conclusion, he called on all to change our attitude towards the environment in an effort to incoming generation that are yet to be born.