By Edwin M. Fayia, III
For the past several decades in the West African state of Liberia, there is an unending nightmare and menace– annual flooding, which continues perpetually causing thousands of people to become homelessness.
It also causes socioeconomic hardship and massive displacements.
Latest reports from some urban cities such as Buchanan, Greenville, Harper, Barclayville, Robertsport and parts of Margibi County speak of endless flooding that continues to cause homelessness and displacement of residents.
Several studies conducted by Liberian and foreign environmental experts have traced the root causes of urban cities flooding to poor construction, threats to wetlands and dozens of manmade activities over the years.
Over the past several years, urban planners and environmental groups have cautioned, warned and alerted Liberians in general and national leaders in particular on the unabated abuse of wetlands and flood plain areas of big infrastructural construction works.
Typically, in one of the massive driven populated boroughs of West Point, New Kru Town, King Gray, John F. Kennedy Hospital and several parts of Vai Town, Clara Town and Doe Community are every year rainy season prime targets of flooding and its attending nightmare socioeconomic hardships.
Besides, other areas include and not limited are clustered communities of Buzzy Quarter, Soniewien, Waterside, Benson and Gurley Streets are also homes of endless flooding occasioned by heavy down of rains.
Regrettably, some of the above mentioned flood prone areas are situated right at the most powerful seats of the Liberian Government, namely Executive Mansion, Temple of Justice and National Police Headquarters all in the heart of Monrovia.
Poor residents and high profile business entities are situated in those areas and in the full glares of the nation powerful men and women of substance that had paid blind eyes and deaf ears to endless sentiments for the past several decades in the country.
“We have cried, cried and cried for our rescues from the nightmare and menace of these flood waters and only the God of Heaven will one day deliver us from these shackles of manmade creations that continue to place us in perpetual hardships in our own country,” 88 year old man Zayzay Beyan Karzaku of Buzzy Quarter lamented.
Old man Karzaku who led this writer to the poorly constructed sanitation facilities intimated that dirty flood waters carries volumes of human and animal faeces that continue to threaten lives and properties at the Buzzy Quarter Community in Monrovia.
The octogenarian (somebody in his 80s) reminded Liberians and current leaders of the nation that late assassinated President William Richard Tolbert was indeed a visionary leader that wanted see everybody and all parts of the country to part and parcel of the national development and progress.
“I personally as a Liberian did not want any military takeover because military regimes are quick to be transformed into entrenched dictatorships that breed lawlessness and anarchy,” Old man Karzaku asserted.
Besides, he added, “I want ask President George Weah to abandon his quest to build a conference center on Bali Island because that area is near our oldest national heritage.”
He however pointed out that the real saviour that will rescue them from dehumanizing conditions is that leader that will muster courage and fortitude to tour and see fresh hand their endless struggle against manmade activities over the years in Monrovia.
Accordingly, the latest and the most worrisome threat is the pending construction of massive international conference center on the Bali Island in the heart of the nation capital Monrovia.
In spite of the extensive public outcries and many warnings from urban planners and environmental groups, the current CDC led government says, it will certainly go ahead with the construction of a conference center on Bali Island in the heart of Monrovia.