Liberia Environmental Watch - Event-LEWRETREAT

Maryland/USA – March 31, 2008 - Liberia Environmental Watch (LEW) Inc., a Not-For-Profit organization conducted its First Annual Retreat in Bowie, Maryland with a substantive result.

The Environmental Retreat reviewed the past and present activities of LEW aimed at saving the environment in Liberia. The event conducted an evaluated the ongoing progresses, addressed shortcomings, and reviewed the current institutional structure of LEW. The event further discussed funding prospects, vigorous recruiting of volunteers, and strengthening benchmarks for measuring achievements.

The Executive Director of LEW, Mr. Morris Koffa provided an extensive update on the state of Liberia’s environmental condition vis-à-vis LEW’s activities. According to Mr. Morris Koffa, the current environmental state of Liberia remains deplorable and presents a major public health threat. He mentioned that the absence of sanitary landfill for garbage disposal and incinerator for medical and other hazardous wastes depository has yet to be addressed by the government. Mr. Koffa also intimated that the poor air quality stands as one of the greatest health problems that are a source of respiratory diseases, including malaria, while erosion and deforestation continue to pose eminent danger to the stability of the environment and the quality of life of the Liberian population. The LEW Executive Director concluded his remark by calling on various world organizations and the general population for increase assistance so as to enhance LEW activity in addressing environmental issues facing Liberia and its people.

Present at the Retreat were Dr. Larry Shannon, Dean of the College of Arts & Sciences, Bowie State University; Dr. Delois Powell of the United Negro College Fund; Dr. Dougbeh Nyan, a biomedical research scientist at the Morgan State University in Maryland; Dr. Syrulwa Somah, Executive Director of LIHEDE; and Mr. James Larsah, Chairman of the Board of Director of the Union of Liberian Associations in the Americas (ULAA). Also present were Mr. Abraham Massally, President of the Grand Cape Mount County Association in the Americas; Mrs. Roberta Rashid, former President of ULAA, Mr. Ernest Johnson, LCA President, Mr. Frederick Peal, Executive Director, Volunteers In Liberia (VIL), Ms. Sia Finoh, Executive Director, Free Education for Africa (FEA), Mr. Tim Siklo, Grand Kru County Development Association in the Americas (GKCDAA), Mr. Boniface Satu, outgoing president of LCA, and a host of other participants including all board members, officers and volunteers of LEW who contributed to the deliberation.

In another development LEW is scheduled to conduct an International Environmental Health Conference in Liberia at the end of May 2008 through earlier June and will coincides with the celebration of Earth Day on June 5, 2008. The ensuing conference will focus on the enormous environmental challenges facing Liberia. As a way of drawing the attention of the young population to environmental issues, LEW Conference will organize athletics activities and an environmental academic contest among high school and university students.

The board directors and officers of Liberia Environmental Watch wish to not only thank all participants and attendees for making its Annual Retreat successful, but cordially invite you to attend the International Environmental Health Conference in Liberia.

Any question, please contact 240-417-2545 or visit www.liberiaenvironmentalwatch.org

THANKS/LEW