FOROYAA Newspaper (Serrekunda)
Pateh Baldeh
15 April 2009
The National Environment Agency (NEA), last month, presented tools, equipment and cheques to companies that are end users of ozone depleting substances (ODS), at a one-day seminar held at its Documentation Centre in its office in Banjul.
A layer of the earth's atmosphere high in the sky contains ozone gas, which prevents ultra violet radiation from the sun from reaching the surface of earth. Some substances called ozone depleting substances (ODS) have the effect of depleting the ozone layer when used. This, in turn, allows greater penetration of ultra violet radiation, which is harmful to plants and animals, including human beings. The NEA says it is concerned and has launched a campaign to protect the ozone layer by minimizing the use of ODS. The presentation of tools, equipment and cheques to end users of ODS is part of this campaign.
Speaking on behalf of the UNDP Resident coordinator, Mr. Almamy Camara emphasized the importance of the occasion, which, he said, is geared towards protecting humankind and other forms of life on planet earth from the dangers of ozone depletion. Mr. Camara described the campaign as a noble and challenging fight and called on everyone to be a partner as no single person or country can save the ozone layer from depletion.
He told participants that without protecting the layer on the stratosphere (the ozone layer), humankind with suffer the consequences of 'Global Warming', e.g. sea level rise, heat waves, etc. Crop yields, he said, would tend to fall, marine creatures, like fish, would be affected and our immune system will also be affected.
Mr Mamadou Kanteh, The Director of Technical Services at NEA, on his part, said The Gambia accepted the Montreal Protocol on Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer in July 1990 and has ratified the London Amendment on March 13, 1995, as well as the Copenhapen, Montreal and Beijing amendments in 30 April, 2002.
He said the Gambia has taken giant steps towards this direction and that the objective of the user initiatives is to provide grants to local factories that have equipment using ODS to replace their equipment with ozone friendly substances.
The programme officer at the NEA Ozone Unit, Mr. Alhagie Sarr, told participants and beneficiaries that the tools, equipment and money given to Refrigeration Technicians and end users is an incentive from the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP). He said the initiative is aimed at complementing government's commitment in phasing out ozone depleting substances from the Gambia by 2010, as required by the Montreal Protocol to which the Gambia is a party.
Mr. Sarr further said as a signatory to the Montreal Protocol, his Unit will collaboration with the United Nations Environment Programme (UNDP) to work toward ensuring that the Gambia becomes an ODS free state before 2010. He said they will be distributing the tools and equipment to their respective regional refrigeration and air conditioning technicians associations across the country.
He thanked all their partners and the UNDP in particular and assured that the tools and equipment will be used for the purpose provided for. The project is being funded by the UNDP at a tune of US 99,500 dollars. The companies that received cheques were MIRE AZI Fish Procession Plant, PELICAN, Brikama IEC Plant and quality VCE. Some of the tools and equipment presented include bottles of oil for vacuum pump, STS, FGR, TST, KIT, set of 5 spare filters for Ullima ID Kit, Minimax, Dot 400 OFP switch.
In an interview with this reporter, on e of the beneficiaries, Mr. Mamadou Jammeh of Brikama IEC plant, who received a cheque, thanked the NEA and the UNDP for what he described as a noble gesture which he said could not have come at a better time. He said the money received will be used to purchase other materials to replace the old ones. He therefore called for more cooperation among themselves and their partners to ensure the protection of our environment.
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