By Cornelius Eku Randall
In a bid to strengthen the ties between the National Protected Area Authority (NPAA) and the Office Guinéen des Parcs Nationaux et Réserves de Faune (OGPNRF) in Guinea, the two institutions conducted a joint transboundary patrol on the Outamba Kilimi – kuru Hills- Penselli -Soyah (OKKPS) landscape from the 19th – 23rd July 2024.
This activity has been done several times, but due to persistent degradation occurring within the landscape, NPAA in Sierra Leone and OGPNRF in Guinea have decided to make this activity a regular and continuous activity with support from the EU.
Welcoming the team to Sanya village in the upper Tamabaka Chiefdom in Karene District, the Paramount Chief PC Kandeh Kambah II said that he is pleased to receive both teams from OGPNRF from Guinea and the NPAA delegation. He further stated that Guinea and Sierra Leone are one people. He thanked the NPAA for collaborating with the Guinean counterpart to protect the rich biodiversity and ecosystem God has given us and promised that his chiefdom will always support the protection of the landscape. In his conclusion, he requested that both sides not forget his people with alternative livelihoods as they are a very deprived community.
In her statement, Mabinty Koroma, Chiefdom Mammie Queen, Stated that environmental partners and NGOs across the boundaries are giving livelihood support to their forest-edge community. Still, for them in Sanya, they have nothing to point at as a benefit of protecting the landscape. She further appealed to the team to assist them.
In his statement, Dauda L Bangura Esq., Law Enforcement Manager -NPAA, explained the purpose of the meeting, stating that OGPRNF is implementing the law enforcement component of the OKKPS project in Guinea and NPAA in Sierra Leone. The two agencies signed an MOU to implement Law enforcement within the borders. The first patrols were conducted in September 2023, and the joint meeting was held in the Guinean at Madina Oula. This year’s meeting is held in Sanya in Sierra Leone to strengthen the bilateral relations between the two countries.
Mohamed Alie Sow is the Park Manager for the OGPNRF, whom he said is the counterpart of NPAA in Guinea. In his statement, he stated they were pleased to be in Sierra Leone to continue with the agreement signed by the NPAA and the OGPNRF under the OKKPS project. He further noted that the Peneselli Soya National Park in Guinea shares boundaries with the OKNP in Sierra Leone. The OKKPS projects brought the two agencies together, and since then, they have been working assiduously to protect the landscape. The two agencies shared reports and ideas during the last engagement in Madina Oula in Guinea.
Representing the Sierra Leone police, Officer in Charge ASP John Bockarie and RSLAF Luietinant Kobba welcomed the team and assured them that the community was peaceful and safe. They promised to support both sides in their jobs to protect the National Park.
Magdalene Koroma, Park Manager of Outamba Kilimi National Park-NPAA, reported on behalf of the NPAA. In her statement, she explained that they visited three communities: Konibaya, Lacatta, and Kankan. She stated that the terrine is challenging to see, but they were able to make the necessary observations. She also gave some recommendations that she said they would share between the two parties for action. Chinese contractors in Guinea also reported and discussed the mining of sand in Samaya, Sierra Leone.
Sgt. Gondo Nestor Mamy reported on behalf of the OGPNRF. He stated that they started their surveillance on July 19, 2023, and ended on July 23, 2024. They also visited three communities around the park. Their main challenge was fire burning around the park.
Councilor Mohamed Amara Turay and other speakers made statements about livelihood support for the communities and requested support from the NPAA and the Guinean side to support them.
