Liberia: AYPRC Calls for Smart Action to Tackle Plastic Waste Pollution, Wetlands Mismanagement in Liberia

19 May 2022
The New Dawn (Monrovia)

The African Youth Peer Review Committee (AYPRC) is calling on the Liberian government to take the necessary action to prevent plastic waste pollution and discourage citizens from building on wetlands in the country.

In a release issued in Monrovia Thursday, May 19, 2022, AYPRC said Liberia has become one of the nations in the world that has overwhelming plastic waste collections, something which the institution claimed if not taken care of, would undermine the fight against climate change.

The group noted that plastic waste has the propensity to increase CO2 emission into the atmosphere and also has the tendency to affect marine organisms.

In early March this year, Environmental Protection Agency Executive Director pledged Liberia's commitment to domesticating the multilateral environmental agreements which call for addressing environmental challenges, promoting economic development and ensuring sustainable livelihood for its citizens.

But Liberia, according to AYPRC, appears to be making no progress in subscribing to such commitment.

The group notes that the protection of wetlands and the fight against plastic waste has been significantly ignored by the Government of Liberia, stressing that such action is tantamount to undermining goal 15 of the United Nations SDGs which specifically calls for the protection of the environment.

AYPRC National Coordinator Jeddlee S. Kinni is quoted in the release as saying that Liberia is signatory to several regional and international protocols calling for the protection of wetlands and the fight against climate change in general, but the country is doing nothing to address the situation.

The AYPRC National Coordinator wants the government to begin taking actions that will address the impact of plastic waste and wetlands occupation in the country.

"Liberia is making no effort in addressing the increasing usage of plastic in the country. At the same time, the country's government is completely muted on the frequent occupation of wetlands despite expressing commitment at international and regional fora to preserve and fight against all forms of climate change," he averred.

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