MONROVIA – The Government of Liberia has launched a plea to the world and friends of Liberia to come to the aid of West Point – a peninsula in Monrovia that is gradually submerging into the Atlantic Ocean.
Report by Edwin G. Genoway, Jr. [email protected]
West Point is the biggest slum community in Monrovia, Liberia’s capital and has a population of about 75,000.
Over the past few years, several residents of West Point have been forced out of their homes due to sea erosion that has undermined several homes along the coast as the sea continues to make advances on the land.
The famous West Point Broad Street and football field are now under water due to the sea erosion.
Montserrado County Senator, Saah Joseph made an appeal for help on Thursday when he paid an assessment visit to the area.
With the aimed of speedily rescuing the residents, a team of technicians, headed by Deputy Public Works Minister, Joseph Todd, Assistant Minister Kavestella Kailain, along with Senator Joseph Thursday June 13 concluded an assessment of the devastated community.
The assessment was conducted by a joint team comprising technicians from the Ministry of Public Works, Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the Ministry of Mines and Energy visited
Commenting on the purpose of the assessment, Deputy Minister Todd, said based on the advice of technocrats from Public Works along with Land and Mines and EPA government will immediately embark on the intervention to rescue its people from the ocean.
According to Deputy Minister Todd, the situation in West Point is devastating and an immediate solution is needed to rescue the residents.
“The people of West as you can see are in danger and most of the places are being eaten by the ocean, and as government, we need to find solution to save our people,” he said.
He noted that this a joint efforts that will require even the residents to work along with the relevant agencies of government to build what he said will prevent the sea from further extending, saying, their intervention was based on the plea by Montserrado County Senator Saah Joseph.
“We are here because, we got a call from Senator Joseph that his people were at risk and losing their properties as the result of the sea erosion. So, we are here to access the situation and know exactly what to do,” Minister Todd added.
Also speaking to the FrontPage Africa, Montserrado Senator Joseph said his intervention came as the result of his commitment to the people of Montserrado County.
Senator Joseph revealed that he has been visiting various communities and districts in Montserrado County to identify their constraints and possible intervention.
The Montserrado County lawmaker disclosed plans to undertake a project of blocking the sea with a plan of connecting the LEC road to other parts of West Point which was washed away by erosion.
He said the safety and livelihood of West Pointers is his major priority and also encouraged them to stay away from violence and embrace peace.
“We will do everything possible to provide safety for you. We will not relocate y’all because of threats from the sea, but we will prevent the sea invasion in shortest possible days,” he told the residents.
He, at the same time, called on local and international partners to help the government in whatever way possible in rescuing the people of West Point from the sea envision.