By mark N. Mengonfia
The Chief Executive officer of CT.Com, Mr. Christopher Hayes Onanuga on Thursday donated five new motor bikes to the Liberian government through the Ministry of Lands, Mines and Energy to help in protecting the tourism sectors in the country.The Chief Executive officer of CT.Com, Mr. Christopher Hayes Onanuga on Thursday donated five new motor bikes to the Liberian government through the Ministry of Lands, Mines and Energy to help in protecting the tourism sectors in the country.
Liberia has good tourism sector, but in recent times, it has been destroyed by criminals and low scale miners in the various counties.
Chris, who thinks that tourism is one sector that has the potential to raise revenue for the country, made the donation after careful observation and research in the sector.
Liberia has 15 political subdivisions and most of those places have low scale miners, many of whom can destroy the tourism sector. He said the donation of five bikes will help the ministry along with way.
He said, his group saw the need to aid the ministry with logistical support to help preserve the tourism sites of Liberia.
He said that he has observed that low scale miners are hugely damaging the landscape and places that should be used for tourism purposes such as carbon credits.
He said one of the most comparing needs of the institution in inspecting.
According to him, the donation he and his group made will pave the way for others to invest and as well donate to the ministry.
“We will bring people who say they love Liberia for them to help,” he said.
He went on to say that “we believe that in 2020, we should do, not of words in little terms, but plenty of actions in more terms”.
Receiving the keys to the bikes, the minister of Lands, Mines and Energy, Mr. Gesler E. Murray thanked the group for his level of support for the sector.
“We need about one hundred (100) bikes…… I am calling on other institutions to join the bandwagon of donation to us to improve of capacity to that we can effective implement our mandate” the mining minister said.
The issue of artisanal mining remains a major challenge in safeguarding the forest and water bodies of Liberia, says Mining & Energy Minister, Gesler E. Murray.
Minister Murray decried the use of heavyduty machines, chemicals on the water bodies, damaging the forest of Liberia in those various mining sites.
He added, if the wave of artisanal mining is not regulated, Liberia will lose its values when it comes to the richness of its landscape and wide life.
Although, it is the Mining & Energy ministry that is clothed with the responsibility to grant artisanal miners official permit to operate in Liberia, but the mining minister tone regulating those artisanal miners has become a serious challenge to the ministry.
He indicated that those bikes will help his team go after those who are illegally mining in Liberia bushes and damaging the water bodies with harmful chemicals.
He went on to say that visibility on the field will greatly help the ministry regulate the sector adding, “those bikes are going to be used to reach those far to reach places”.
He indicated that “this year is going to be a year of deliverables; we are going to comb every length and breathe of this country”. The total value of the bikes is not known. TNR
Alphonso Toweh
Has been in the profession for over twenty years. He has worked for many international media outlets including: West Africa Magazine, Africa Week Magazine, African Observer and did occasional reporting for CNN, BBC World Service, Sunday Times, NPR, Radio Deutchewells, Radio Netherlands. He is the current correspondent for Reuters
He holds first MA with honors in International Relations and a candidate for second master in International Peace studies and Conflict Resolution from the University of Liberia.
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