(JollofNews) – The Gambia’s Department of Forestry has expressed concern at outbreaks of indiscriminate bushfires around the country.
It said that it has been receiving reports of rampant and indiscriminate bushfire around the country with devastating efforts to the country’s forest cover.
The Department said as the government of the Gambia is committed to sound environmental management and attached a great deal of interest to the preservation and protection of forest resources, no culprit go free for illegally setting a forest on fire
“It is important to note that the livelihoods of most of our population depend to a great extent on the forest and its rich resource base in terms of food, medicine, energy, income and employment,” the Department said in a media release.
” As a result, we all have equal responsibilities to conserve, protect and rationally utilise this precious and priceless heritage against the menace of fires.
“The general public is strongly urged to join efforts in preventing the occurrence of bushfires and participate fully in the control exercises whenever and wherever they occur. The Department of Forestry will leave no culprit go free for illegally setting a forest on fire. All local authorities should take responsibility of fighting bushfires in their areas of jurisdiction, as a national and individual response.”
