LICENSE FOR DISASTER?

The effects of such an activity if not checked will be damaging according to an observer: “What is happening is nothing but suicidal. This mindless, unrestrained and unregulated activity is posing threats of widespread depletion of water resources which may lead to avoidable food shortages and hardships for the people.”

Rodney D. Sieh, rodney.sieh@frontpageafricaonline.com

Monrovia-

The mining of sand from the St. Paul River by a Chinese company named and styled Hua Lee in the Caldwell area is alarming due to limited sand resources in its alluvial reach.

According to experts, sand mining not only affects the health of the river ecosystems but also degrades its overbank areas to a large extent.

The demand for construction grade sand is increasing in Liberia due to post-war infrastructural and economic development leading to subsequent growth of building activities.

This, environmental experts say in many of the occasions, has resulted in indiscriminate mining of sand from in-stream and floodplain areas which in the future might lead to severe damages to the river basin environment.

But on Saturday when quizzed by journalist about the danger posed to the environment by the Chinese company's activities, the Minister of Public Works Samuel Kofi Woods had this to say: “Those are issues that we are considering that is why I came here today. This is my first time coming to see it.”

Minister Woods described the method being used by the company by extracting the sand from the river as alternative measures and that the government is testing it out to know the full control mechanism that can be put in place.

 Says Woods: “River sand is the best quality sand, it doesn't have salt component in it, and it's clean. It also helps to reduce the amount of maintenance on vehicles.”

The Minister disclosed that the Ministry of Lands Mines and Energy is aware of the activities of the sand mining company but, the lack of adequate information on the environmental impact of river sand mining makes it difficult for the locals to consciously engage government on the impact of the mining activity in the area.

It is not yet clear whether sand mined from the St Paul River is being used for construction of roads and bridges by government around the country. What is clear though is that the company is a commercial one that is involved in the selling of the sand mined from the river as was revealed by one of its employees.

Says Junior Willie: “We charge per distance, we have $140.00 USD distance, we have $160.00 USD but we provide our own trucks.”

The Sand Mine is located near a major query of CICO the Chinese company involved in the construction of roads in Liberia.

The effects of such an activity if not checked will be damaging according to an observer: “What is happening is nothing but suicidal. This mindless, unrestrained and unregulated activity is posing threats of widespread depletion of water resources which may lead to avoidable food shortages and hardships for the people.”

Experts say sand is vital for sustenance of rivers. Geologists know that uncontrolled sand mining from the riverbed leads to the destruction of the entire river system. Research shows that if sand and gravel is extracted in quantities higher than the capacity of the river to replenish them, it leads to changes in its channel form, physical habitats and food webs  the river's ecosystem.

With the environmental disaster in areas like the CeCe Beach community which was cut off from the rest of the city due to high velocity of flowing water from the same St. Paul River, observers are of the opinion that the current removal of sand from the river bed by Hua Lee will increase the velocity of the flowing water which will lead to a distorted flow-regime eventually eroding the river bank.

Sand acts like a sponge, which helps in recharging the water table; its progressive depletion in the river is accompanied by sinking water tables in the nearby areas, adversely impacting people's daily lives, even their livelihood.

Monrovia's City Mayor Mary Broh could not hold back her frustration over the activity of the company when she said to the President who went to inspect its facility: “Madam President I think they're undermining this place.”

The words of Madam Broh send a clear message to those responsible for this company's operation in the country.