Monrovia – Following several persuasive attempts to prevent illegal constructions in the waterway along the Mersurado River, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) on Wednesday, September 18, demolished a structure as a precedent to violators of the laws against destroying the mangrove.
Since February 2019, residents of St. Francis complained of the illegal destruction of the mangrove forest and called for the intervention of the EPA and the Liberian National Police to halt illegal activities in the forest in Chicken Farm, Jacob Town.
Some residents styled, “Chicken Farm Neighborhood Dwellers,” residing in Jacob Town, Paynesville City, in early February of this year requested the government to do more to prevent flood, sand mining and the destruction of wildlife by halting the massive destruction of the mangrove along the Mesurado River.
In a communication addressed to the Executive Director of the Environmental Protection Agency, Mr. Nathaniel Blamah, the residents complained that some unknown individuals were aggressively destroying the mangrove trees for the purpose of selling the swampland and fetching wood.
The Chicken Farm Community has repeatedly suffered from property damage as a result of the flood when the Mesurado River overflows.
The mangroves support a great variety of swamp animals roaming the wetlands but due to the rapid destruction of the mangrove trees, the shorebirds that were usually seen making their homes in the branches and taking refuge amongst the roots are finding it difficult to survive.
The EPA assisted by the Liberia National Police carried out the demolition.
Mr. Randall Domayou, Deputy Executive Director of the EPA, who led the team, assured the community that EPA will do everything possible to protect the environment and secure lives by providing Marine Security along the river side as safety measures in favor of tons of big and small marine species that thrive the mangrove coastline and muddy flats supported by the nutrient-rich waters.
The Chicken Farm residents pointed out that the destruction of the swamp land caused the disappearance or deaths of a number of monkeys and crocodiles always resting along the mangrove-lined shores that had offered a great chance for tourist attraction.
Besides sheltering animals and birds, the residents explained that the mangroves also provide protected areas for fish, crabs, shrimps and all sorts of small critters.
The mangrove forest has been preventing the outflow of the River into the community and providing habitation for animals but was being destroyed by a group of unknown men who are illegally selling swampland.
Concern members of the Chicken farm community renewed calls for the speedy intervention of the authority concerned in order to avoid chaos between the illegal land dealers, buyers, sand miners and the residents.
Mr. Edilus Barbue, who is the spokesperson of the residents, said the speedy intervention of the EPA, intercepted misunderstanding among the community dwellers.