Over 1,000 military personnel and police officers were deployed to the Lumley/Aberdeen Beaches for a massive cleaning exercise.
According to the Hon. Minister of Tourism and Cultural Affairs, Nabeela Farida Tunis, the exercise is clear evidence of what can be achieved when government institutions unite for a higher purpose.
Despite the tremendous efforts made by the Ministry and its agencies in maintaining the cleanliness of the beach, these efforts have often seemed futile due to the continuous littering of the area.
A key cause of the persistent pollution of the beach is the improper waste disposal practices by some citizens, which significantly impact the coastal areas.
In an interview, Hon. Nabeela Farida Tunis expressed her gratitude to the Republic of Sierra Leone Armed Forces (RSLAF) and the Sierra Leone Police (SLP) for their intervention. She noted that their involvement sends a strong message of support and collaboration. The Minister also encouraged citizens to act responsibly in managing their waste as dumping waste improperly ends up on the beaches. The Minister expressed optimism that FCC will take up its responsibility to clean the beach.
The General Manager of the National Tourist Board Fatmata Mida-Carew stressed the institution has never collected any dues for waste management or cleaning from Beach Bar Operators.
This exercise demonstrated the commitment and determination of the leadership of these institutions in promoting Sierra Leone’s tourism sector towards sustainable transformation. The presence of the Minister of Tourism and Cultural Affairs Madam Tunis, the Chief of Defense Staff Lieut., Gen. Amara Idara Bangura, the Inspector General of Police Fayai Sellu, the General Manager of the National Tourist Board Fatmata Mida-Carew, National Security Coordinator Office of the National Security Abdulai Caulker and other senior staff of the Ministry of Tourism, RSLAF and the SLP at the beach until late in the evening underscored their dedication as they closely monitored the process.
The cleaning exercise was concluded with a strategic meeting among the three institutions, aimed at developing critical solutions for maintaining a clean and safer beach.
A huge percentage of the waste was cleared and the effort will be a continuous process to ensure a clean and safer beach for all.
