By Esther Wright
President Julius Maada Bio, on the 23rd April 2022, visited the Guma Valley Dam at Mile 13, where he saw firsthand and with shock how the environment has faced massive encroachment, and called for the re-establishment of the Western Area Forest Green Belt and an immediate investigation into the activities of the Ministry of Lands and Housing for the concerning environmental infractions.
It must be noted that the Guma Valley Water Company relies principally on that single source, the Guma Dam and the Guma Water Treatment Plant at Mile 13, with over 90% of the total water supply to over 1.5 million people in the capital city of Freetown.
The President said his visit was geared towards seeing the enormity of the threat to the water source and to provide the required political leadership to lawfully prosecute and punish deforestation and those involved in land grabbing around the water catchment areas.
He added that the ongoing encroachment of the Western Area Forest Green Belt area of the Guma Valley Dam facility is an environmental concern that should be stopped immediately.
“The Western Area Forest Green Belt area is an implementation of Parliament. So, the land is protected by law. This is very annoying and concerning. All those who are responsible should face the law. This is an existential threat that will not be tolerated. We are going to re-establish the Green Belt and protect it,” the President furiously emphasized.
He also urged the police and military to work with the relevant stakeholders to return decorum and calmness around the facility, saying that they should engage the village headmen to restore and protect the environment and the water catchment areas.
“Inasmuch as we want everyone to build homes, we should do it within the confines of the law. Guma is a major source of water supply to Freetown. Encroachment into the land will limit the fetch and storage of water to the city. If you undermine the environment, it will not protect you,” he concluded.
