The Turkana County Environment Competition was held on Tuesday where Philip Ekolong from Kanamkemer in Lodwar emerged the winner and walked away with a 10,000-litre water tank and a certificate as a competition prize.
Ekolong was rewarded for establishing a home garden, a tree nursery and for tree planting.
Coming in second position was Felistas Loree from Kakuma for her Energy Conservation, tree planting and water conservation efforts and was awarded a 5,000-litre water tank and a certificate.
Three runners up Ethuron Isaac Lokwawi who hails from Kanamkemer in Lodwar for the plastic recycling techniques, Fransiscah Elongat (Kanamkemer-Napuu) who applied drip irrigation crop farming technology and tree management and Mark Kotol (Katilu Ward) for his tree nursery were awarded certificates and energy saving jikos.
The award ceremony on Tuesday which was officiated by Deputy Governor, Peter Lotethiro, was part of an initiative, started on 5th June 2020, when Turkana County played host to the World Environment Day attended by Cabinet Secretary for Environment and Natural Resources, Keriako Tobiko.
Lotethiro said the award was an intentional program by the county to recognize the outstanding efforts made by individuals and households for their unique contribution towards protection of the environment and promoting sustainable use of natural resources.
He added that the outstanding performers were being rewarded for their commitment and sacrifice for creating a clean and healthy environment for current and future generations.
Lotethiro said, “the competition was carefully designed to allow for a large number of competitors to take part in various categories including use of drip irrigation, energy conservation, waste management and creative art.”
While appreciating the initiative and thanking all the participants for their efforts, Lotethiro used the opportunity to sensitize the public on the core mandates of the division of environment and natural resources which, includes pollution control, environmental inspection and monitoring to ensure compliance to existing laws in respect to environmental conservation.
He reiterated that the county department of Water Services, Environment and Mineral Resources was currently constructing a plastic collection and reuse centre in Lodwar town as a sustainable solution to the emerging plastic waste problem.
“I urge all participants in the competition to enroll their neighbours to implement best practices of environmental conservation as a way of life by adopting agroforestry and bio intensive gardening,” he said.
Speaking during the event, County Executive committee member for Water Services, Environment and Mineral Resources, Chris Aletia said that the competition will be an annual event with plans to grow it to national and international status in the coming years.
Aletia also called on the youth to emulate a competitor called “King Passy” whose concentration on music and art was geared towards promoting awareness of the dangers of environmental degradation.
By Peter Gitonga