Monrovia -The 2015 international children peace prize winner, Abraham Keita, has lauded the effort of the Liberian government to relocate West Point sea erosion victims but said more need to be done.
Report by J.H. Webster Clayeh [email protected]
Although the issue of sea erosion has been an environmental problem for almost five years, it has taken a center stage this year when violent erosion struck the township of West Point, leaving 6,800 inhabitants homeless.
However, over 200 people were relocated to a temporary housing estate in the VOA Community this year.
But Keita addressing news conference at the administrative building in the township of West Point on Monday said the government should avoid building misshape structures for the West Point sea victim.
“The government is doing pretty well; we must commend the government but more need to be done,” he said.
“You will not just go built misshape structure for the people; the people need to live comfortably.”
Keita added: “It’s not because the people came from maybe somewhere uncomfortable than you build uncomfortable homes for them that is double suffering. You must take into consideration that they are humans and that they have the right to live in good condition.”
Keita who just returned from the United States of America said while he was away he held talks with several of his partners and also with a local construction company which builds homes for low income people to come to West Point and they have agreed to build new homes for the people of West Point by the beginning of 2018.
“As I speak to you they are setting up a team of geologists to come and assess West point because I showed to them a video clip about the sea erosion- how homes and lives were destroy,” the 2015 International laureate said.
Recently, the National Housing Authority (NHA) at a major conference with stakeholders held at the Monrovia City Hall discussed plans to allocate US$1.2 million for the construction of 100 housing units in the VOA, Brewerville City for people affected by sea erosion.
Keita called on government to maintain the name of West Point on the new community.
“Even if West Pointers should be relocated, the area which they will be relocated should be name West Point as mean of remembering where they came from,” keita said.
He continued: “If I am alive up to that time I am going to say that place should be name West point and homes will be built.”