MONROVIA – The Executive Director of the Environmental Protection Agency or EPA has vowed to positively engage the Liberian media for the successful implementation of its assigned duties and responsibilities.
Mr. Nathaniel T. Blama said the EPA will continue its engagement with the media to ensure effective environmental compliance and awareness, which happens to be one of the cardinal duties of the agency.
The EPA boss was speaking Thursday, January 10, 2019 when the Agency was awarded the “Best Public Institution” by the Independent Probe Newspaper.
“A lot of people don’t understand the work of the EPA and this is why we need the media as a partner, or conduit through which information about the roles and responsibilities of the EPA will be communicated to the public. Without media education, all that we do would be in vain,” said Blama.
“We are going to be working closely with the media in implementing Component Three of our duties, which is to ensure effective environmental compliance and awareness,” he asserted.
Blama asserted that the EPA is not contented with the award, adding that it sees the award as a greater challenge to do more.
“We feel humbled for the award, this is going to make us to work even harder than ever before,” said.
In remarks, the Managing Editor/Publisher of the Independent Probe Newspaper, Mr. Chester Smith, revealed that the selection of EPA was based on a four-person panel’s recommendation.
According to Smith, the from panel’s report, the EPA was consistently engaged with the protection for the environment through public interactions on the danger of Climate Change, the importance of preserving Natural habitats for various species of animals and fishes, especially the straight adherence to upholding Environmental Laws which prohibits construction in water ways or in wetlands as well as cutting down mangroves.
He stated that the institution (EPA) continuous public awareness and wider coverage of activities was remarkable. “During the period under review, the Independent Probe Newspaper covered and published over thirty-six (36) separate news articles which focused on the development and protection of the environment, including stimulating collective local and international partnership for transformation at the EPA,” he added.