Seyfo
Alhagie Fabakary Nana Sonko, Chief of Lower Nuimi, has commended the National
Environment Agency (NEA) for raising public awareness on food smoking for fish
mongers for the community of Barra and Essau in the North Bank Region.
The Lower Nuime chief was speaking recently in Essau at a sensitization forum organised by the NEA for women in fish processing sectors.
He called on the people to uphold standard and best environmental practices to promote health for all.
Dawda Badjie, Senior Environment Officer, noted the agency’s resolved in working with key stakeholders to promote best environmental practices and techniques in promoting quality processing of food smoking and curing.
The Best Available Technique and Best Environment Practice Project aim to build capacity of local stakeholders to implement measures required to meet their obligation.
He said the sensitization would help communities to develop safer and environmentally-friendly practices combining human health protections and greenhouse gases mitigation.
He used the moment to call on women to desist from using nylon and scrap cartons for lighting, noting that it is hazardous to human health.Omar Bah, Project Coordinator of Best Available Technique and Best Environment Practice project at NEA, said the awareness campaign was designed to enhance understanding for the communities of Banjul, Tanji and Barra and Essau women to adopt standard and environmentally friendly measures of food smoking and curing to contribute to the attainment of healthcare service.
He said that such types of awareness meeting would help women to share best practices on fish smoking and be advocate of change.
Ndenne Nying, Principal Environmental Officer, and Lamin Jarjue Regional Environment Officer, both said raising awareness on environmental issues would promote sound chemical management and food safety for better protection of the environment and human health.
Adama Sanneh, Fish Inspector at the Department of Fisheries, praised women for their support to food security and sustainable livelihood development.
He thanked the NEA for complementing the efforts of fisheries department in raising public awareness on food smoking and curing.
He called on fish mongers to uphold food standard and hygiene, and by extension create marketing and income.
Fatou Cham of Barra thanked the NEA for their foresight in protecting the lives of producers and consumers of smoked fish.
