Amid searing hardship and bleak macroeconomic predictions in and about the country, President George Manneh Weah appears to be upbeat about the fact that all is not lost—at least not yet. He’s still scrubbing the crumbs here and there out of the meager coffers just to put smiles on the faces of his people, particularly the most disadvantaged citizens and communities. It is as if the words of the folksinger resonate with the President, when it is said, “I am not Bill Gates, but I can make things happen.” And the President is making lot of things in the face of the prevailing economic crunch, one of which is his declaration yesterday to save West Point from raging waves of the Atlantic Ocean which has already taken a bulk of the land space of the densely populated community away. The Analyst’s Executive Mansion correspondent Anthony Q. Jiffan reports.
The Government of Liberia is currently initiating emergency response mechanism to urgently address the aggressive sea erosion crisis that is gradually eating up the Township of West Point.
Already, relevant government line ministries and agencies, including the Ministry of Public Works, Environmental Protection Agency, National Disaster Management Agency and the Ministry of Mines and Energy, are already working out the technical details for the commencement of the project.
The emergency coastal defense project, upon full completion, will save thousands of residents in the Township of West Point from being made homeless as a result of sea erosion.
Speaking during a tour of the project site, President George Manneh Weah encouraged the technical team to work on fast modalities for the smooth implementation of the project.
Responding to the initiative in a joyous mood, the residents of West Point commended President Weah for his timely ingenuity in saving their homes from sea erosion, saying that the enterprise is the first of its kind and will help them greatly.
The densely populated Township of West Point is experiencing old aged challenge of poor sanitation, extreme poverty, lack of latrine, safe drinking water and many other basic necessities of life.
However, with the main source of livelihood been fishing, the people of the West Point Township are now benefiting from electricity supply which was lacking.
It can be recalled that the past government of former President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf built homes in Brewerville for the relocation of residents of West Point. But there were mixed views that characterized said project.
Currently, several homes and structures in the Township have been wipe away as a result of sea erosion, making the current intervention from the Weah-led government cherishing as essential to addressing the situation.
The Township, according to experts, is heavily challenged with poor sanitation and hygiene, bad environmental practices and is also exposed to national disaster as more is needed to be done to address the multiple problems facing the community and its people.
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