The retreat held in Mansakonko, Lower River Region, also offers an opportunity for Ministry’s staff to share experiences and ideas to strengthen the Ministry’s efforts toward achieving its goals.
Addressing participants at the opening, Ebrima Jawara, permanent secretary at the Ministry of Environment, described the event as ‘timely’ in view of the recent cabinet retreat.
PS Jawara said the event would enable them to brainstorm and reflect on what they have accomplished over the past 12 months, assess how well they met the goals set during last year’s retreat, and chart a way forward for the coming year.
While acknowledging significant progress made thus far, PS Jawara called the need for continued effort.
“A lot of good things were achieved last year, but there is still much more to cover. We will evaluate our performance, recognising outstanding contributions and identifying areas that need improvement,” he added.
For her part, Rohey John Manjang, minister for Environment, Climate Change and Natural Resources (MECCNAR), said it was vital for them to come together to develop and agree on a unified plan because it becomes easier to refer back to it when disagreements arise because they have a common goal.
“It is important to collaborate and agree on our activities. Whatever we present today will be for the entire Ministry of Environment, whether at the project or departmental level. This will collectively form the Ministry’s work plan,” she added.
Minister Manjang made reference to the cabinet retreat, where they presented their deliverables for the next six months.
“I believe we are now fully ready to engage, build on past achievements, and work toward greater success together.”
While the cabinet retreat focused on key targets for the Ministry, the environment minister said their departments and projects have even more to deliver. She added that their hopes were high, and they must set ambitious targets and raise the bar.
The environment sector, she observed, is at a critical point, with pressing issues like climate change, deforestation, and wildlife degradation. Addressing these challenges she said, requires immense effort, energy, and sacrifice.
She also noted that working in government demands sacrifices because the regular hours were never enough to meet expectations or achieve meaningful results. “Yet with determination and teamwork, I am confident we can succeed.”
