The Sherbro River Estuary is Under Threat of Pollution

Reports reaching the Society on Environmental Pollution in Sierra Leone (SEPSiL) shows massive pollution on the Sherbro River Estuary. The report further indicates that a certain Chinese mining company is responsible for this heinous act. It should be noted that such activities on our waterbodies have dire consequences on the marine species living therein as well as surrounding coastal communities that largely depend on those important ecosystems for their livelihood.

The Sherbro River Estuary (SRE) is in Southern Sierra Leone, on the Atlantic Coast of West Africa. It is one of four marine protected areas in Sierra Leone and encompasses about 50% of the country's mangroves, about 90,000 hectares (estimate for 2016) (Feka and Sainge, 2022; Mondal et al., 2017).

Owing to the tremendous negative effects of the ongoing massive pollution has on the fish stock and other marine species hosted in the SRE, the socioeconomic wellbeing of people in those communities is on the line.

SEPSiL, being an organization that focuses on combating all forms of environmental pollution in Sierra Leone, is therefore calling on the government of Sierra Leone through the relevant ministries, departments and agencies to act promptly and decisively to stop this menace that is currently putting the lives of our people at risk. A stitch in time saves nine!