Monrovia – Holding placards and chanting battle cries, residents of New Kru Town petitioned lawmakers at the Capitol Building to take action against rising sea levels and coastal erosion.
In recent times, the coastal erosion has caused many residents of New Kru town to evacuate from their homes. D. Tweh High School has been particularly affected. A fence along the water has suffered severe damage with much of it already destroyed.
The high school is just the most local example of the worldwide problem of climate change that has also destroyed houses in West Point. The residents of New Kru are doing their part to make national leaders take action.
Presenting their petition, the Chairman of the Petition Committee, G. Barcus Karpeh, said more than one third of the land now lies under water. The island is going to vanish along with some very important infrastructure if nothing is immediately done, he added.
“We demand our right to exist and our share of the national agenda. We remain resolved to go at every length in order to ensure we get all necessary ears and stand resolute to ensure serious democratic measure until our rights are restored,” said Karpeh.
Karpeh called on District 16 Representative, Dr. Edward Forh, to ensure that the borough of New Kru Town is saved from coastal erosion.
“Let it be known that (President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf’s) lukewarm approach to this cause will be met with unspecified civil action. We will remain at your stairs and doors until our situations are handled,” said Karpeh.
Receiving the petition, District 16 Representative Edward Forh commended his constituents for the orderly manner in which they presented the petition.
According to Representative Forh, an effort in the House of Representatives and the Senate has made some progress but it’s not enough to address the problem.
“And so, we want to commend you the chairman and to all the people of the borough of New Kru town for adding your voices to our voice and helping us to speak to us, to speak to us through our colleague to see the urgency of the matter. It is not only D. Tweh High School because if D. Tweh go the whole New Kru town will go; the whole Redemption go,” Ford said.
The government can fix the situation if it receives enough attention, according to Forh.
“Relocation is not the option. We cannot give up on the Borough only because we feel we do not have money. If the political will is determined and the will is there, we are sure that this matter of saving D. Tweh High School can be surmounted,” he said.
Representative Mantenokay Tingban, the co-chair on the House standing Committee on Claims and Petition, said the danger hovering over the Borough of New Kru Town should claim the attention of members of the legislature.
J.H. Webster Clayeh – [email protected]