BY Alimamy Conteh – Intern FBC
On Wednesday, 8th November 2022, footages of World Food Program VAM satellites showed massive deforestation and encroachment around the Guma Valley Water Company reservoir at Mile 13.
Guma Valley Reservoir which supplies 90% of Freetown, have been encroaching on the catchment Western Area National Peninsula Park. This movement has resulted in a massive deforestation into the Red Zone, way above the Greenbelt; a demarcation restricting people from building beyond the demarcated area.
The danger has led to the destruction of water shed and water catchment area that have resulted in serious water shortage in the Reservoir.
In an interview with Mr. Abdulai Kamara, who is the Inspector of Works at GVWC Treatment Center at Mile 13, stated that the reservoir is facing a serious problem of land encroachment on their facilities. He added that, “ if this situation is not treated with primacy, then these actions pose serious threat to the supply of water in Freetown, as the Reservoir will be unable to maintain the demand for water by the populace”.
According to World Food Program Sierra Leone, forty thousand hectares of trees have been cut down around the Reservoir over the period of 7 years – this has resulted to the shrunk of the Reservoir by an abysmal of 40% since it construction in the early 1960’s.
It is estimated that 38.5% of Sierra Leone is covered by tropical rainforest and it is estimated that deforestation rates have increased by 7.3% since the end of the civil war.
PHOTO: OWL REPORTER- Alimamy Conteh – Intern FBC at the Reservoir
“The rampant cutting of down of trees surrounding the rivers and streams flowing into the Reservoir will be detrimental to the supply of water in the capital, as that is our only source of water in Freetown” said Bashiru Kargbo, PRO at Environmental Protection Agency.
With the recent lift of the ban that was imposed on timber production in the country, this is seen as green light by the government for timber producers to continue in the cutting down of trees, in areas like Mile 13. With the UN Conference on Climate change COP27 – the 27th Conference of the Parties, which started on Monday 7thNovember 2022, in Sharm El-Sheikh, Egypt. The conference is the annual gathering by the United Nations of governments, scientists, and other key stakeholders from all countries of the world to review progress in efforts to avert environmental catastrophe, against commitments contained in global climate action agreements.
Mr. Abdulai Kamara, sees this as an opportunity to call on the Government, MDA’s and the Environmental Protection Agency to put laws in place, that will ensure the protection of the areas surrounding the Reservoir.
