MRU Takes Awareness on Land and Water Resources Management to Western Liberia

The Mano River Secretariat has concluded a daylong engagement dialogue aimed at increasing the understanding of local Liberian and Sierra Leonean citizens living along the Mano River on sustainable fisheries, farming and mining practices. 

These three main practices in earning a living along the border between the two countries are unique to the region where the awareness is being held.  Diamond and gold mining activities are common there in addition to farming and fishing, livelihoods by which people there have long survived. 

The awareness was intended to educate people living along the Mano River to promote cross border water resource management to mitigate practices leading to climate change.

The awareness also centered on promoting sustainable land use practice. There is a huge concentration of unregulated and illicit small-scale mining activities that are negatively affecting the soil along the Mano River.

The Coordinator of the Mano River Union Building River Dialogue and Governance (BRIDGE) Project in Liberia and Sierra Leone, Abdoulaye Doumbia, said the essence of the project is to ensure that the Mano River ecosystem remains on track.

Mr. Doumbia recognized the willingness of the locals in Grand Cape Mount County on the Liberian side of the River for the resolve to safeguard their environment in the interest of the sub-region.

He, however, encouraged communities along the Mano River to help protect the environment for today and future generations.

Residents around this area are mainly involved with subsistence farming, fishing and small-scale mining as livelihoods.

The Residents, mainly farmers, say they were unaware of some of the things coming out of the awareness but said with the MRU awareness, they will now engage in practices that will improve the environment.

“Thank God that we have now realized our mistakes, because many of us didn’t know that we’re doing the wrong thing”, said Blama Dagar, a local farmer in Grand Cape Mount County.

Blama added that he, like many other farmers, were not aware of the many harms that they were posing to the forest while doing their farming business, vowing to utilize the knowledge acquired to share with other farmers.

“We thought we were using the correct method, but from the training today, I can say we will do the right thing from now on”, Blama further added.

Alhaji Kromah, who earns a living by mining, described the MRU awareness workshop in Mano River Kongo as an ‘added advantage’ to do his business the better and safer way without harming the environment.

Mr. Kromah hopes that with the new knowledge, he might become a successful small-scale miner, while avoiding land degradation and pollution of the environment

Meanwhile a local authority in Grand Cape Mount County said the lack of constant awareness is responsible for harm being carried out in the environment, and that the greater harm was resulting from small-scale mining.

Madam Jamiatu K. Watson, Paramount Chief of Porkpa District, said the routine awareness done by the Mano River Union Secretariat is key to making residents aware of the danger they pose to the environment during mining, farming and fishing.

She stressed the need for refilling of mining pits and random burning of forest for farming purposes in order to avoid land degradation in the MRU basin.

Mano River Kongo Township Commissioner, Gegbay Seituah, who admonished his compatriots to work together in safeguarding the environment, buttressed paramount chief Watson.

Commissioner Seituah however admitted that pollution is a serious problem near the Mano River as local miners continue to mine without regard to environmental safeguard.

The daylong awareness is part of activities of the MRU new project, named “Building River Dialogue and Governance” (BRIDGE) project, which focuses on sustainable water resource management and land degradation in the region.

More than 20 participants from Porkpa District in Grand Cape Mount County converged in the Bordering town of Mano River Kongo to participate in the one-day awareness activities.

The MRU countries consist of Liberia, Sierra Leone, Guinea and Ivory Coast, working together for the common good of all four countries.