The
chairman of wood-re-exporters and forest users association in The Gambia, Lamin
Barrow and the General Manager of Mediterranean Shipping Company (MSC), Jakobe
Nygaard, have both assured of their firm commitment to supporting the Ministry
of Environment and its line department to join the crusade in the restoration
of the forest cover in The Gambia.
The
two delivered the reassurance during the official launching of the National
Tree Planting exercise presided over by the Minister of Environment at the
Bijilo Park over the weekend.
Speaking
to the media, Jakobe Nygaard, a Danish, who is the General Manager of MSC in
The Gambia, thanked the Minister of Environment for inviting him to participate
in that very important national event.
He
also thanked Lamin Barrow, the chairman of wood re-exporters and forest users
in The Gambia for ensuring that he and his team participate in the national
tree planting exercise.
He
said MSC feel very delighted to partake in the restoration of the Gambian
forest, recalling that few years ago the Bijilo forest park was very dark, but
to his surprise, when he came back he saw the forest has been degraded
seriously.
He
divulged that MSC has contributed not only in assisting the workers but also
provided some water, and huge number of seedlings.
For
his part, Lamin Barrow, chairman of wood re-exporters and forest users
association in The Gambia, commented on the importance attached to the national
tree planting exercise.
He
said they all know the usefulness of this forest in The Gambia and by extension
to the animals, adding that the Bijilo Park was seriously destroyed by
unscrupulous people in the past regime.
According
to him, the government of the day with technical support from the ministry of
environment and its line department has decided to replace what has been
destroyed.
Mr Barrow also dilated on the need for
collective effort to protect the park by replacing the lost trees, saying it
was a way forward to have healthy forest cover that could attract tourists in
investing in the country.
He also thanked The Gambia leader through the
ministry of environment for these bold initiatives in launching the national
tree planting exercise.
He
assured the ministry of environment and the government of The Gambia that his
association was ready to give maximum support in the restoration of the forest
cover.
He
advised his association members to be law-abiding and respect the law of the
forest.
