The Society for the Conservation of Nature of Liberia(SCNL) in collaboration with the Monrovia City Corporation(MCC), the Environmental Protection Agency(EPA), the Ministry of Commerce and Industry, the Ministry of Youth and Sports with the support of the United Nations Development Programme(UNDP) has launched the Monrovia Eco-Brigade over the weekend to ensure that Monrovia is clean. The Executive Director of SCNL, Michael F. Garbo, said 300 young people between the ages of 18 to 35 have volunteered themselves to ensure that the cities of Moneovia, Paynesville, Kakata, Gbarnga and Sanniquellie are clean. Director Garbo stated that the volunteerism of the 300 people will last for 20 days but the process of keeping these cities clean will continue until the whole country will be clean. He noted that the establishment of Eco-Brigades started three years ago in Liberia with Robertsport, Buchanan, Zwedru, Greenville and Voinjama cities was intended to ensure that these places are clean and green. He revealed that the Eco- Brigade system was introduced to Liberia by the former Resident Representative of UNDP to Liberia who notice the system in Kigali,Rwanda to clean its cities. Director Garbo maintained the 300 Eco-Brigadiers, 100 persons for Monrovia, 60 persons for Paynesville, 40 persons for Kakata, 40 persons for Gbarnga and 60 persons for Sanniquellie to provide stewardship over the cleaning of these cities. He disclosed that UNDP has promised to provide US$400.00 to each volunteer at the end of the 20 days depending on the performances of the volunteers which will be under the supervision of the Monrovia City Council city. Meanwhile, speaking on behalf of the UNDP Resident Representative at the launch, Mr. Amara N.M. Kanneh who is the M & E Specialist at UNDP, said the Eco-brigade programme is a youth volunteer initiative that focuses on preserving the environment as well as creating start-up livelihood and income opportunities for the vulnerable youth population which are currently unemployed and economically marginalized. Mr. Kanneh stated that the youth eco-brigade represent a platform for young people to actively participate in environmental conservation, waste management, climate action and community outreach. He pointed out that the youth brigadiers will not only contribute to a cleaner and healthier environment but also cultivate leadership skills, teamwork and a sense of responsibility towards the planet. Earlier, the Mayor of the Monrovia City Corporation (MCC) John-Charuk C. Siaffa said waste management and cleaning of the city should be collective effort of all residents in the city. Mayor Siaffa stressed that the effort of the Monrovia Eco-Brigade will go a long way to educate Liberians and foreign residents to keep their communities clean at all times. He noted that with the active use of social media platform, members of the brigade can post relevant information and their works to promote clean cities in Liberia. He promised that MCC will contribute and support them practically to ensure that Monrovia is the second cleanest in Africa. For his part, the Superintendent of Montserrado County, Whroway Bryant, who officially launched the Brigade, encouraged members of the Monrovia Eco-Brigade to take their works of cleaning Monrovia seriously. Superintendent Bryant expressed thank and appreciation to UNDP for providing the necessary funded to implement the program. He hoped that in the near future the Eco-Brigade could be established in other towns and communities in Montserrado County.
Comments are closed.