National
Environment Agency (NEA), in collaboration with partners, recently commemorated
International Coastal Day with a clean-up exercise at Barra seaside.
The
clean-up exercise was part of the agency’s drive to protect the environment and
the marine species and coastline.
Speaking
on the occasion, NEA executive director Ndey Sering Bakurin, said environmental
cleanliness leads to healthy environment, adding that even the doctrine of
Islam has it that one cannot be a proper Muslim without being clean.
“Therefore,
we need to clean our environment,” she said.
On
the commemoration, Madam Bakurin noted that the last Saturday of September,
every year, is dedicated as coastal clean-up day in a bid to protect the
environment and marine coastline.
She
called on the people of North Bank Region to join hands in cleaning their
environment especially the ocean side where fishes and the other marine species
are thrown.
“There
cannot be good health without healthy environment; therefore, cleaning the
environment is for everyone,” NEA executive director said.
She
advised the people of North Bank against throwing litters such as tires,
plastics, shoes, bags and clothes on the ocean for “these things are all
harmful to the ocean”.
She
reminded the people of the anti-littering regulation and the ban on plastic bag
saying littering and plastic bag usage are banned in The Gambia.
Governor
Lamin Queen Jammeh of North Bank Region said keeping the marine coastline clean
is an important component of environmental cleanliness.
