Several homes including a School building have been destroyed in the Borough of New Kru Town, Bushrod Island Montserrado County as a result of sea erosion.
New Kru Town is a northwestern coastal suburb of Monrovia, Montserrado County, Liberia, located on the north end of Bushrod Island. It is the only borough in Liberia.
According to information the town grew as a planned “transplant” town of Old Kru Town after World War II when “Old Kru Town was evacuated for the development of a new breakwater for the new port with assistance from the Liberian Government”.
Being located on the corner of the Atlantic Ocean and the Saint Paul River estuary, fishing is an important source of income. A slum area, it has been subject to ethnic tension. Sea erosion is the new challenged that the inhabitants are face with on a daily basis.
Speaking to Liberia Public Radio Wednesday June 10, 2020, Munah Yancy the chairlady of Funday Community located in New Kru Town said the erosion destroy a number of houses, resulting to over hundred women and their children homeless .
Madam Yancy said the victims are presently seeking shelter with some of the inhabitants while others were giving the opportunity by their neighbors to construct structures on their land as a means of allowing the sea erosion victims to squirt for now.
‘’ Presently they are with their neighbors, other neighbors give them places to squirt to build some Zinc shops there so they are there “madam yancy indicated.
Madam Yancy who told our reporter that she has resided in the Fundaye Community for the past 45 years, disclosed that since age 17 she has been observing sea erosion destroying homes within the community .
“ I been here for the past 45 years , from the time I was 17 years same thing had been going on , as I speak to you ,about 250 acres of land already in the sea “ she lamented .
An acre is a standard unit of measurement used by land sellers and it is almost equivalent to the size of a standard football field .it is a product of any rectangular plot of land giving a total of 4,046sqm or 43,560sqft.
According to her about 250 acre of land have been taking way by the sea erosion, affecting the community negatively. Madam Yancy point out that they are of the strongest conviction through the involvement of Montserrado County District #16 Representative, Dixon Seboe indicating that the Government will intervene shortly.
She further disclosed that the women who have been victimized were given some assistance by stakeholders of the New Kru Town including those in the diaspora as well as the District Representative .
The sea erosion also destroyed D.M. Mackbe Christian School building that was hosting over 400 students according to the Principal, Pastor Mark Colkan .
Mr.Colkan used the interview to called on the Liberian Government to ensured that the ongoing costal defend project cover the entire New Kru Town quickly to rescue the situation.
Appeal to Government
“ If nothing is done by the Government to extend this rock project beyond the borough of New Kru Town, my brother new Kru Town will be greatly destroy by this sea erosion , not to even mention my own school building as you can see “ he bewailed .
Mr.Colkan did not relent to urged the Liberian Government to be proactive in addressing the situation with in a short period of time or loss the entire borough, making reference to his institution that have been destroy by the erosion.
“Right now I am not talking about my school because I in tears already , my school is gone , students are here crying , those babies , so I don’t know what to do ? SO I am calling on people who have interest in education to come to our rescue” He lamented.
Pastor Colkan further disclose that D.M. Mackbee Christian School is one of the institutions that have been providing quality education to over 400 students who risk not to complete this academic year due to such disaster.
He said the administration of the school can only overcome such a frustration when the Liberian Government and partners see reason to go to their aid with materials as a means of relocating the school.
Also speaking during an inspection toured by the funder of the Soltimon Christian School, Rev. Solomon Joah recommended to the Liberian Government to provide land for the relocation of the community residents.
According to him the oceanic is aggressive, signifying that the time the Liberian Government will seek for resources to undertake the costal defend project with in that area half of the community will be destroy.
‘’ this project is cost intensive and time consuming this Government will not be in the position to do it now, so we need to talk to those that have land to give it to the school so that we can build something on it for the students to complete their school year, you know we deed with ages of the students “ he indicated .
At the same time , Montserrado County District #16 Representative Dixon Seboe assured residents of Fundaye Community of the Liberian Government commitment to address the constant wave of sea erosion .
According to Representative Seboe, Finance Minister Samuel Tweh has committed the Government quick intervention to rescue the Community.
He also disclosed that the City Mayor of the Monrovia City Corporation Jefferson Koijee has clean a sight for the relocation of the D. M. maobee Christen School that was destroy by the sea erosion.
He further assured the residents that the Government of Liberia will to complete the coastal defend project in line with its programs stressing that funding have been secure.
Representative Seboe however rejected calls for the relocation of the Borough of New Kru Town, emphasizing that the borough is a historic area that their father’s battle for that cannot be forgetting.
Note: is story was contributed by Washington Watson and reported by Joseph Sayon.
