By Alfred Kollie,alfredkolliejr92@gmail.com
The National Steering Committee of the Blue Oceans Conference has begun implementing the “Call-To-Action” with a clean-up in the Monrovia suburb of Kru Town and Robertsport, Grand Cape Mount County in Western Liberia.
The Call to Action was adopted by stakeholders at the March 18-22, 2019 and the beach clean-up marked the first phase, which took place on Friday, July 5, 2019
The first phase of the Blue Ocean Conference said the National Steering Committee comprises the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Chairs the Committee, and it includes the Liberia Maritime Authority LiMA) as Co-Chair; the National Fisheries and Aquaculture Authority (NaFAA); as well as its international partners, the Embassy of Sweden in Monrovia and Conservation International (CI).
According to a press release from the Blue Oceans Conference said the recent clean-up exercise brought together more than 100 persons from the local communities including thirty-four (34) students from Robertsport High School; two women groups: one from Kru Town with thirty-three (33) persons and the other from Robertsport that brought twenty (20) persons; Kru Town Community, twenty-five (25); Enisul Fisheries, eight (8); Liberia Surf Affiliation, six (6) and B.E.S.T. Liberia, seven (7). Representatives from the National Steering Committee member institutions including Mr. Levi Z. Piah, Chief Technical Advisor, EPA; Mr. Konah Kaliku, Environmental Inspector, LiMA; Mr. Anthony Yokie, Environmental Supervisor, NaFAA; Mr. Jenkins Flahwor, National Program Officer for Energy at the Swedish Embassy in Monrovia; and Mr. Victor Smith – GEF Mangrove Project Manager, CI were present to grace the event.
The Blue Oceans team was welcomed by the City Mayor of Robertsport, Mr. J. Edwin Korha and members of the Kru-Town community. Mayor Korha and his team collaborated with the Blue Oceans team and directed them to various persons and businesses already hosting beach clean-up exercise.
They are Mr. John Adams from Collaboration Management Association (CMA), Enisul Fisheries owned by Fabolia Kamara and students from the Robertsport High School. Together, we picked up over 50 large black trash bags of plastic debris, waste and other unmentionables not meant for the ocean.
The Mayor of Robertsport, Korha and the town Chief both expressed their gratitude for the event and their commitments to beach clean-ups moving forward.
The second phase of the Beach Clean-Up is expected to take place on Friday, July 12, 2019 in Marshall City Margibi County.
The Blue Oceans Liberia team donated four wheel barrels (4), ten rakes (10), ten shovels (10), and wooden brooms (25) to the City of Robertsport to support their beach cleaning efforts.
Mayor J. Edwin Korha encouraged city members to keep the beaches clean and promises to support their efforts by making the tools always readily available for beach clean-up teams. Groups wanting to use the tools can come by City Hall and sign the equipment out. Local business owner, F. Kamara also encouraged beach clean-ups by offering his fishery as a place to support local groups and organizations willing to do the work. The Liberia Surf Affiliation has already scheduled to begin cleaning the Kru-Town beach every Friday morning, and participants from B.E.S.T. Liberia will join them every other Friday. The culture of a clean beach is being encouraged and supported by all members of the community and its governing agencies.
The Blue Oceans Team reemphasized its continuous commitment to this work of the Blue Oceans Conference and to keep Liberia’s beaches clean.