The government of The Gambia through the National Environment Agency (NEA) recently observed the World Ozone Day on the theme  ‘Hydro Chloro Fluoro Carbons (HCFC) Phase-out: A unique opportunity’.

The celebration which was held at the Soma Lower Basic School in the Lower River Region (LRR), started with a march past by various security entities in the region, women groups, the scout band and staff of the NEA.

Speaking at the ceremony, Majanko Samusa, the deputy governor of LRR, on behalf of Jato Sillah, the  minister of Forestry and the Environment explained  that HCFC are gases used mainly in air conditioning systems at our homes, offices, cars and freezers as well as in  fish processing factories and ice making machines.

He acknowledged that HCFC gases are currently and widely used in all countries but stressed that their  phase-out  is  urgently  required  because  when released  into  the  atmosphere, they can have  the  impact of destroying  the protective ozone  layer  as  well  as contribute immensely  to  the warming  of  the  earth as  a  greenhouse gas.

He went on  to  highlight  Gambia government’s  commitment  towards  the  preservation  of  the environment , citing the signing into law of ozone depleting substances  regulations, adding  that  this  has  paved  the  way for  The Gambia to  successfully phase out  all Chloro Fluoro Carbons (CFCs) in the  country since January 1st , 2010.

According to him, the Ozone Unit of the NEA has over the years made much progress  by not  only  facilitating  the  formation of  seven Regional Refrigeration Technician  Associations  across  the  country, but also trained  and  equipped refrigeration technicians with  modern  tools  and  equipment for  recovery  of ozone depleting  substances,  as  well  as  the  retrofitting of  old ration appliances to  get  them  to  run  on ozone –friendly  gases.

He said the customs and other security officers have also been trained  and  certified   on ozone depleting  substances. In all major customs entry points now, he informed, there is a refrigerant identifier to test any suspected refrigerant canisters coming into the country.  

He urged the customs and other security  officers to be more vigilant  in order  to track  illegal  traders  of  ozone  depleting  substances  and  to  always contact the ozone officers of the NEA   for professional advice.

He finally thanked the Gambian  leader for  his  tireless  efforts  to  support all  important  environmental  causes in  the country and  the  world at large.

For his part, Bulli Mustapha Dibba, director of  Administration and Finance at the  NEA, said since 1995, on 16th  September each year, the International  Day  for  the Preservation  of  the Ozone Layer  is  celebrated; that  the  day  has  been  designated  by  the  United  Nations  General  Assembly in  its  Resolution  49/114, to  commemorate  the  signing  of  the Montreal  Protocol  on  substances  that  deplete  the  ozone layer.

He assured that  the NEA  will  continue  to  lead  the  national  efforts  to  fight  and  eliminate  the  production  and  use  of  ozone-depleting  substances including CFCs.

Alhagie  Sarr, Ozone officer  of  the NEA, called  for  attitudinal change towards  the environment  and  stop  the  consumption  of  ozone  depleting  substances,  particularly  those  refrigerants  that  have  global  warming  potential.

He challenged  all  and  sundry  to  use  ozone  friendly  products  in  order  to protect the Layer  from  further  depletion. The ceremony was chaired  by  Sheikh Alkinky Sanyang  of  the NEA.