TheCable

A group of volunteers gave up their leisure day on Saturday December 20, 2014, to ensure the beach at Tarkwa Bay was litter free.

The volunteers, from Beach Samaritans based in Ikeja Lagos, were helping out to clean Tarkwa Bay beach as a part of community service to clean Nigerian beaches, one at a time.

Volunteers from different works of life were put to work by raking the beach and collecting bags of rubbish, while the rest helped deliver leaflets to people present at the the beach to raise awareness of the activity.

Pelu Awofeso, co-founder of Beach Samaritans, was delighted with the efforts of everyone present, describing the group as “dynamic and professional” and stressing the need for clean beaches across the country.

“During my excursions for the past four years, I’ve never been to a clean beach except for the private ones,” he said.

“All the community beaches that one can go have fun for free are dirty. In other countries, beaches are positively affecting their economies.”

Awofeso, co-founder of the group

Organizer of the event, Adesola Alamutu, explained what the exercise was all about.

“The Beach Samaritans are a group of volunteers who have decided to clean Nigerian beaches, one at a time, then return to clean again.”

“The first exercise was held in October at the Okun ‘Alpha’ Alfa beach in Lagos and it was a success. I’m impressed with the second one.”

The beach cleaning exercise by Beach Samaritans is a not-for-profit community service work initiated in August 2014 by Adesola Alamutu, executive director of Children And The Environment (CATE) alongside Pelu Awofeso, publisher of waka-about media.

The initiative is sponsored by Access Bank, Shoprite and Promasidor.

One of the volunteers, Valentine Nnamdi, acknowledged it was “a new experience”.

“I have never done this type of exercise and I enjoyed myself learning to give more to community by disposing litters off in the right way,” he said.