Ambassador Hoover said if Sierra Leone doesn’t start putting proactive measures in place to address the issues of climate change, the survival of species would be severely affected.
The U.S Ambassador explained that the over-exploitation of so much of the country’s forest cover has deprived people of food and shelter, and it has also undermined defenses against the effects of climate change and disease; adding that climate change is not just an issue for governments, thus urging everyone to play a critical role in turning climate policy into action, day after day.He added that greater use of renewable energy will also help Sierra Leone expand access to reliable power while protecting the environment. He however noted that the United States is taking bold action on climate change at home as they are working with partner nations to do the same; adding that since President Obama took office, the U.S. has reduced carbon emissions, tripled wind energy production, and increased solar power by twenty fold.Recent surface over flooding in the capital city of Freetown shows that despite routine construction works being done by renowned engineers in the country, Sierra Leone is still yet to cope and resist the forces of nature and withstand flooding and heavy storm despite the structural street design being put in place by engineers.Recent monsoon rains in major parts of the city shows the devastating effect heavy down pour of rain can cause in poor settlements and in the capital city of Freetown. Many homes were flooded while people were wading in at least five feet of water inside their bedrooms and homes. They were also watching along when their properties worth millions of Leones were being destroyed by the heavy down pour of rains.
On Ebola, Ambassador Hoover said the United States made a total contribution of over Three Hundred and Twenty Million dollars in Sierra Leone’s Ebola emergency response which made them the second largest bilateral partners after the United Kingdom.He said the United States support progresses as the epidemic evolve; adding that the Center of Disease Control were deploying thousands of people on a routine basis which he said is the largest deployment ever in the history of United States global health response.
He stated that CDC will now have a permanent resident in Sierra Leone as their roles will evolve around the post Ebola recovery plan, strengthen surveillance, and integrate disease surveillance and response that will be early detecting of diseases not just for Ebola. John Hoover added that they have other surveillance just like the ones they have been doing for Polio and so will they do for Ebola and other diseases like cholera, measles or vaccine preventable disease.
This interview was exclusively granted to the AYV television with permission to be aired on AYV radio and published on AYV newspaper.
Records have it that this is the first exclusive television interview granted by the Ambassador since his arrival in Sierra Leone.Meanwhile, President and Chief Executive Officer of the Africa Young Voices (AYV) Media Empire, Ambassador Anthony Navo (Jnr) has expressed elation over the magnanimity of the U.S Ambassador to offer the AYV Group such a unique opportunity to share information of such importance from the Embassy to the general public.
