Wealth Hunger Hilfe on Friday November 10th this year, launched its Communication Strategy, which will be used to address challenges face in Waste Management in the country. The Communication Strategy was launched at the conference room of the Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development at Youyi Building in Freetown.
Addressing the audience, Chairman for the ceremony, Foday H. Kamara, also a member of the Waste Management Steering Committee, spoke on the significance behind the Communications Strategy and touched on the need for everyone to come on board in managing waste in the country. He posited that the development of a communication strategy was a step in the right direction, which illustrates the seriousness behind the campaign. This, he said, has been an engagement wherein stakeholders and development partners will see the need for robust approach on waste management. He added that the launching of the communication strategy was a backup with the Integrated National Waste Management Strategy, with 13 members part of the steering committee.
WHH Communications Officer, Tamba Borbor, emphasized how WHH puts premium on communication, pointing out that one of such demonstration was why the institution hired a consultant to develop a communication strategy. Waste Management, he said, is something that we must put as priority, expressing that it is the more reason why we must continue to educate our people to stop the habit of griming the environment with plastic waste. He said the institution has decided to change the roadmap, so as to be able to achieve its goal, as they are well known for Waste Management Intervention.
“WHH has been doing well on waste management, as evident with physical existence of work in Bo, Kenema and Kono. We have built youth offices in different areas, and as well have collection points of waste in different areas. We are working on the closure of illegal dump sites, as we want to establish a centralize dump site for the deposit of waste, Borbor said. We have also put things in place with the provision of a weigh bridge in order to always assess and determine the amount of waste collected per district. This, he said, are all good footprints of WHH.
A representative from the Ministry of Health, Idrissa O.M. Brima, spoke about the importance of waste management, whilst buttressing statements of other speakers in relation to the significance behind the communication strategy. Brima said that managing waste can only be achieved with a robust communication strategy. He maintained that the importance of waste to the environment and public health need not be overemphasized, stressing that there are lots to be done on the tradition of denials. He touched on the need for waste segregation and recycling, which he said is also a major concern and that if we are to succeed as a nation, we must ensure we try to achieve and overcome some of these challenges. He pledged his ministry’s support to the document and promised to work with the team.
In his submission, an official from the Ministry of Higher Education spoke on the challenges facing waste management in the country. He said sometime there are challenges in destroying waste without separating them, pointing out that this is the more reason why they are planning to introduce a course on Waste Management at Fourah Bay College.
Communications Consultant, James Tamba Lebbie, made a power point presentation of the strategy, its purpose, expected outcome and how to overcome challenges in communicating to different audiences. His presentation encompasses the relevant communication strategy to be used to target public and influence public opinions, decision makers, stakeholders and moral guarantors on the message that should go out.