By Mercy Zahn Gbhoe
The global rise in sea levels presents a significant threat to coastal communities worldwide. In Liberia’s low-lying coastal areas, many residents inhabit makeshift homes constructed from wood and zinc, which are ill-prepared for severe weather conditions.
The combination of coastal erosion, exacerbated by widespread illegal sand mining, has already caused the disappearance of various sections along Liberia’s coastline.
In Buchanan, a coastal city in Grand Bassa County with a population of over 200,000, the encroaching sea has ravaged livelihoods.
Previously bustling areas like Atlantic Street that connects Fanti Town and Barlawleh are recuperating from the impact of sea erosion.
Once an economic hub, the street battled significant threats from rising sea levels, leading to the destruction of beaches and shores, including a decline in vehicular traffic due to the dangers posed by sea erosion.
According to the Global Environmental Facility (GEF) in 2008, the relentless waves claimed over 20 shoreline homes, prompting the closure of businesses and instilling fear among remaining residents and entrepreneurs.
However, a ray of hope emerged in 2010 with the launch of a $2.9 Million US dollars Coastal Defense Project, a collaborative initiative between the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and the Liberian government.
Supported by the Global Environment Facility Least Developed Countries Fund (GEF), the project aimed to enhance resilience in vulnerable coastal areas and mitigate climate change risks.
Under the Coastal Defense Project, a substantial 600-meter breakwater revetment system (usually a rock and rubble mound structure) was constructed in Buchanan, bolstering the defenses against climate change impacts and safeguarding thousands of coastal families from the looming threats of rising sea levels. Unfortunately, the persistent theft of rocks and sand mining has severely compromised these efforts.
Fanti Town Community, located in Buchanan, has become a hotbed for illicit activities involving the theft of the Coastal Defense Project rocks and the unauthorized mining of sand.
James Toe is the leader of the Fanti Town Community. He has observed residents from neighboring communities allegedly engaging in these activities, using bags to collect sand and rocks under the cover of night. Toe emphasized that these actions are also fueling the encroachment of sea erosion, posing a serious threat to the community’s infrastructure and livelihoods.
“Multiple attempts to engage the County leadership and seek their intervention have been futile,” Toe disclosed. “We are calling on the county’s leaders to take decisive action by implementing measures aimed at curtailing the constant theft and mining of rocks and sand in this area,” He said.
Florence Harris Eckhart, a resident of the Community, expressed concerns about the influx of individuals from other parts of Buchanan exploiting the community’s resources to build their homes, disregarding the long-term consequences. Madame Eckhart emphasized the growing proximity of the sea due to these unregulated activities, heightening fears of potential destruction of homes within the next few years.
“When I was growing up, this sea was far away,” she said. “But see where it is now! Few years from now, the sea will take us from here,” She lamented.
A resident of Small Fanti Town, John Boe shares similar concerns. He says “Rising sea levels and the resulting damages are two major reasons there should be some interventions to stop this sand and rock mining thing.”
The narratives of the community residents underscores the severity of the situation, caused by the unlawful removal of rocks intended for coastal defense. Their plea for intervention and sustainable solutions could not get a reaction as efforts to get a comment from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) proved futile.
This story was produced under the Female Journalists Association of Liberia (FeJAL) Women Journalists Mentorship Program. Funding was provided by USAID through Internews, under year 3 of its Media Activity Program. The funder had no say in the contents of this story.
