By Arret Jatta
The National Environmental Agency (NEA) in partnership with Common Sea conducted a day long workshop on the action plan to end plastic pollution in the Gambia on Wednesday 18th April at NaNa Conference Center.
Alkinky Sanyang the environmental, Education and communications officer of NEA says it is no secret that since 2015, the consumption, the use and whatever of plastic bags have been banned in this country.
“We all remember 2015 to now, lot of sensitization has been done, lot of work has been done at grassroots level, National level, up to the international level just to make sure the Gambia is also part of the world family that will fight against plastic pollution against the environment and human health”, he highlighted.
He added that the police will continue to better enforce the law on the ban of the use of plastic bags in the country.
Ingrid Gomez, a local researcher and consultant of Common Seas says they work with government to help them find solutions to plastic pollution.
“One of the main research that was published in the UK was a research about plastic in the blood streams of human beings which is very shocking, it’s just something very rampant and alarming around the world to see how plastic pollution is affecting all of us”, she stressed the risk of plastic pollution.
She added that the Gambia is really taking a step ahead in having this national action plan to be in the negotiation and taking the action to tackle the plastic pollution in the country.
Deputy Executive Director of NEA Njagga Touray also said negotiations are ongoing and very soon there will be an international law to address plastic in general around the globe.
“Our soil is being polluted to the extent that farmers cannot even get enough to feed their families today so if the trend continues it means our next generation will not be able to grow food because the soil will already have been destroyed, our air is polluted these are the signs that we are seeing today and as a result of those signs we thought it wise to come up with strategies on how we can minimize the trend”, he stated
