ArcelorMittal Liberia Wednesday marked World Environment Day with a series of events aimed at promoting environmental awareness and action in Yekepa, Nimba County. The celebration began with a tree planting exercise at four local schools, followed by a formal program held at the African Bible College Campus. This year’s global theme for World Environment Day is “Land Restoration, Desertification, and Drought Resilience” under the slogan “Our Land, Our Future.”
In collaboration with ArcelorMittal High School, Unification High School, Bishop Carroll High School, and Earl High School, the company led efforts to plant trees across Yekepa. Several of AML’s partners and contracting firms, including La Queen Entertainment, an environmental beauty pageant group, participated in the event.
The company also helped distribute dozens of trash buckets in Yekepa to help keep the town clean and safe. Highlighting the significance of the day, Alvin Paul, AML’s Manager for Biodiversity and Environmental Management, emphasized the importance of raising awareness about environmental issues and protecting the planet.
“We should always bear in mind that this planet does not belong to us alone. There are other organisms here too and we should respect them,” he said. Paul noted that the tree planting initiative helps absorb carbon dioxide and mitigate the impacts of climate change, which has made Yekepa warmer over the years. Paul encouraged Liberians to help preserve the environment by picking up rubbish, protecting habitats, planting trees, using water wisely, recycling, and effectively using electricity.
Marcus Wleh, ArcelorMittal Liberia’s Head of Sustainability and External Relations, reiterated the company’s commitment to addressing environmental challenges. “The challenges are not just environmental issues but are existential threats that require urgent and sustained actions,” he stated.
Wleh highlighted that responsible mining and good environmental stewardship can and must go hand in hand. He stressed that long-term business success is linked to the health of the ecosystems within the communities where the company operates.
“Our comprehensive land restoration program begins with a thorough environmental impact assessment before mining even starts, and we engage in progressive land rehabilitation,” Wleh explained. “We try to restore as much as possible sections of lands as soon as they are no longer needed for mining, and by doing this, we also provide income to the county and areas we operate, which includes reforestation and soil stabilization.”
Wleh also expressed gratitude to the AML environment department for their dedication to conserving the environment. ArcelorMittal Liberia kicked off its World Environment Day on observance Tuesday June 4, 2024, with an interactive webinar for its staff on the theme: “Community Involvement and Livelihood Improvement through Restoration.”
The webinar was facilitated by Dr. Emmanuel Olatunji, Director of the Environmental Studies and Climate Change Graduate Program at the University of Liberia. The company is calling on all Liberians to join hands in raising awareness and taking action to protect the environment.
