APC’s Sorie Sulaiman Sesay Speaks on Beating Plastic Pollution
By Kadiatu Sankoh
On June 5 2025, Sorie Sulaiman Sesay, one of the flagbearer aspirants of the APC party, delivered a public lecture on World Environment Day 2025 on the Theme: “Beat Plastic Waste” at the University of Makeni’s (UNIMAK) Fatima Campus Auditorium, Makeni City.
Delivering His Speech, Sorie Sulaiman Sesay expressed pleasure and honor to deliver such an important lecture as part of the 2025 World Environment Day commemoration. He recalled his visit to a small riverside village and how plastic waste had hindered the fishing ativities of the once flourishing fishing community.
“Not long ago, I visited a small riverside village that was once thriving through fishing and farming. As I walked alongside the local chief through the shallow waters, he reached into the reeds and pulled out a clear plastic bag. Holding it up, he said: “This river used to feed us. Now it sickens us. We fish less. We farm less. Our children get rashes. But we don’t even remember when it changed. We just woke up and realized we had lost it.”
Sorie Sulaiman Sesay furthered that he has had to live with that moment not just as a development practitioner, but as a father, citizen, and now as someone aspiring to lead this great nation. He added that environmental decline doesn’t always come like a storm. Sometimes, it creeps in silently through discarded plastics, daily indifference, and small compromises, “and not too long our lives, our people, and our dreams are buried under what we thought was harmless.”
He described the young people in the hall as not just symbols of hope, but agents of transformation, and admonished them to take actions, lend their voices, and show leadership in what true environmental responsibility should look like.
“This year’s theme, as declared by the United Nations and hosted by the Republic of Korea, is “Beat Plastic Waste.” It highlights a grim reality that plastic pollution is now a global emergency,” he stressed.
He the delved into the areas affected by plastic waste and its negative impact on society and life, adding;
“Plastic has been found in the deepest oceans and on the tallest peaks, even inside our bodies; It threatens biodiversity, worsens climate change, and undermines public health; it’s no longer just a waste problem; it’s a climate threat and a justice issue.
“In Sierra Leone, we generate over 500,000 tons of plastic waste every year. Less than 10% of that is recycled. Globally, 430 million tons of plastic are produced annually, and only 9% gets recycled.
He furthered that “Plastic isn’t just clutter it’s carbon. It’s made from fossil fuels. From production to disposal, it emits greenhouse gases, accelerating global warming.”
He recalled the 2017 mudslide, which tragically claimed more than 1,000 lives in Freetown, stressing that this disaster was worsened by plastic-choked drainages and waterways.
Sorie Sulaiman Sesay warned that “If we fail to act now, by 2028, we could have more plastic than fish in our oceans. Let’s look at health. Burning plastic, which is common in many homes across Sierra Leone, releases toxic chemicals linked to cancer, diabetes, and respiratory illnesses. Over 30% of children suffer from respiratory issues, many of which are worsened by air pollution from plastic waste.”
The APC aspirant went to talk about the economic and social impact that plastic waste have on the country:
“Economically, plastic pollution costs our coastal communities up to $2 million annually through damaged fishing equipment and lost tourism revenue. And socially, areas like Kroo Bay and Susan’s Bay face recurrent flooding, worsened by plastic waste that blocks drainage systems. Fishermen now pull bottles instead of fish. Farmers struggle to grow crops in plastic-laden soils. Our natural beauty is becoming a dumping ground.
However, despite this dark picture, Sorie Sulaiman Sesay sees hope in the youths.
“Young people are rising. This very event was organized by you students and youths, who have seen the problem firsthand and decided to act.”
He suggested three urgent calls to action:
- Rethink Our Habits
- Say no to single-use plastics.
- Carry reusable bottles, bags, and containers.
- Recycle, repurpose and make sustainability part of your daily life.
- Rebuild Our Systems
- In 2023, the government adopted a National Plastic Waste Management Policy—a good first step.
- But policy without action is fiction.
- We must enforce laws, build recycling infrastructure, provide incentives for biodegradable innovation, and embed environmental education from primary school to university.
Other countries are leading the way:
- Rwanda banned plastic bags in 2008—tourism increased by 20%.
- Ghana is piloting a circular economy model
3.Reignite Our Values
- The Qur’an, Chapter 13, Verse 41, says: “Corruption has appeared on land and sea because of what the hands of people have earned.”
- The Bible, Psalm 24:1 says: “The Earth is the Lord’s, and everything in it.”
“Even our ancestors lived with restraint, taking only what they needed. We must rediscover that wisdom.
He then challenged the students across all campuses in Sierra Leone from FBC, Njala, COMAH, to Polytechnic to: Launch campus-wide plastic ban; establish eco-clubs and recycling hubs; create awareness podcasts; innovate solutions and hold polluters accountable.
Sorie Sulaiman Sesay then committed as an aspiring leader of this nation, not only to speak but to act, and outlined some of the actions he will take fora cleaner and stronger Sierra Leone.