Preparatory meeting for the World Environment Day (WED) celebration on the 5th of June 2009 with the Divisional Delegation of the Ministry of Environment and Nature Protection (D.D.MINEP) Limbe.

A meeting aimed at planning activities to commemorate the World Environment Day, took place on Friday             the 22^nd of May, 2009 at the Divisional Office, Limbe. The meeting that brought together members of the civil society, was presided over by the Divisional Delegate of Environment and Nature Protection, Mr. Mr Nchia Peter Ghong who revealed that this year’s activities to mark the day will be commemorated on the 4^th of June by the divisional delegation, Limbe at the Limbe City Council Hall, and on the 5^th of June by the provincial Delegation. He went on to say that the meeting was an opportunity for the organizations present to network with one another and was also the beginning of a long lasting partnership between these organizations and his department.

            During the meeting, representatives of participating organizations were called upon to share their programmed activities to mark the day so that together, they could come up with a harmonized program of activities or partner with other organizations with similar activities to celebrate the World Environment Day. It is in this light that Mr. Ayuk Raphael of Africa Alliance for Development Action (AADA) highlighted some activities his organization has been putting in place which are geared towards the protection of the coastal line from strollers who misuse the resources from the sea, thereby depriving local fishermen their daily catch. He further mentioned that their organization had already made T-shirts to that effect. He was advised by Mrs. Rose O. Mukete of the Divisional Delegation on the measures the government is already taking to address the situation, so it was needless trying to create chaos. She proposed that AADA should instead organize a talk with the women who dry fish in this area since they use Mangrove wood to perform that activity thereby causing deforestation.

                      On his part, the CEO of the Organization for Gender, Civic Engagement and Youth Development, Mr Elvis WEPNGONG, elaborated on their 7 day sensitization program on “Climate Change” starting from the 1^st to the 7^th of June 2009, with focus on youth and women religious groups in Limbe, as well as a talk program on the Ocean City Radio Limbe on the 5^th of June.  Madam Sofie Meilvang of the Limbe Wildlife Centre said that the zoo will have gorilla talks, tree planting and radio talks between the 1^st to the 5^th of June, with visitors of the zoo being the target group. She also mentioned that the Wildlife Centre has been carrying out programs with schools around the municipality on environment and the hunting of endangered species.

 The Association of Tourism Guides proposed waste disposal talk, tree planting in strategic areas of the municipality and waste management along the coastal line as their activities to celebrate the 5^th of June. The African centre for Research Development and Climate Change elaborated on the on going activities with schools in the Limbe municipality. Their activities involve essay and arts (drawing) competition on the environment, with prizes for the best in both categories to be handed on the 4^th of June at the Limbe City Council Hall. The Development and Environment Officer of CAJAD proposed talks with religious groups in Limbe and a radio talk with Eden radio as their planned activities.

              Participants of the meeting agreed on harmonizing the activities, and the 4^th of June was approved by all organizations present to join the Divisional delegation to celebrate at the Limbe City Council Hall. Organizations will maintain their activities for the World environment Day but will all meet on the 4^th June for the divisional celebration in Limbe and 5^th June for the grand regional celebration in Buea. Organizations with similar activities were also asked to collaborate and those with no activities were asked to partner with others to observe the day. The participants selected topics for the radio talk show which were, Deforestation, waste disposal, tree planting, Environmental Education in schools and the cutting down of Mangroves around the coastal line by fishermen for their women to dry fish. Mr Ndenge proposed regular meetings with organizations at the delegation, a proposal which was approved by all and the next meeting was scheduled for the 2^nd of June 2009 at 8:30am. It is worth mentioning that, this year’s World Environment Day will be celebrated on the theme, “YOUR PLANET NEEDS YOU – Unite to Combat Climate Change”.