By Reuben Bier, reubenbier@gmail.com
Reporter, Radio Gbehzon, Buchanan, Grand Bassa County
BUCHANAN, Liberia- Despite the UNDP 2.9 Million valued costal defense project in 2010, sea erosion keeps making life miserable for the Ghanaian fishermen living in their costal “Small and Big Fanti Towns” here in Buchanan, Grand Bassa County.
The defense consists of heavy rocks referred to as “revetment” along the seashore has served the Buchanan Port and few communities effectively. Residents who lost at least 350 feet of their community to the sea praised the defense mechanism.
For Small & Big Fanti Town, the residents live at the mercy of the sea, as several homes keep going down to the sea. The fishermen sounded hopeless as their little earnings cannot put up a defense for their towns. They rather thought to ask the Liberian government and its international partners to continue with the revetment project or else Buchanan may keep decreasing in land space.
Tony Bestman is a resident. His land is being consumed by the sea. He narrates the stress his family endures living within close proximity to the sea.
“The sea was all the way at the back, but now, it’s here to us as you can see.” Tony has lived 50 years on this seashore community. He regrets the many houses damaged by the sea erosion.
Another Ghanaian born more than 40 years ago in Fanti Town is Isaac Acquah. Isaac feels the sea is detaching them from their “heritage”, the seashore town.
He wants the government to take seriously the damage and the potential the sea has to occupy Buchanan streets no matter how long.
Climate experts believe human activities warm the earth and 90% of the heat is absorbed in the sea. In reaction, the sea experiences rising tides causing erosion that occupies land space including cities and towns.
Buchanan is a coastal city, historically second to Monrovia and the 3rd largest city in Liberia.