A United States based Environmental Engineer, Mr. Morris Koffa has alarmed that Liberia is engulfed with serious environmental crisis, something that threatens the survival of the Nation.

Mr. Koffa who is the head of a newly established local NGO, The Liberia Environmental Watch (LEW), noted that the situation is so deplorable and has largely contributed to the death of citizens before they reach the age of 48.

Speaking recently at a one-day conference of the coalition of Environmental and relevant government agencies held at the Monrovia City Hall, Mr. Koffa challenged citizens to fight for what he called “environmental redemption” by constructively engaging the government to conform to its constitutional duty of providing a healthy environment for the people.

The veteran Liberian Environmentalist, who vowed to work alongside the coalition of environmental NGOs to address the appalling environmental conditions in the country, pointed accusing fingers at the government saying its failure to make the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) functional was responsible for the backlog of the environmental problems in the country.

He maintained that since the establishment of the EPA over five years ago, the Agency has been neglected by past governments adding that this situation has been compounded by the reluctance of the Unity Party led government to fully constitute the administration of the Agency.

He admonished participants at the conference to reach out into communities and sensitize local people on sanitary safety measures and hygiene issues to enable them save guard their lives against chemical pollution and filthy sanitary conditions in the absence of government’s intervention.

The keynote speaker at the program, EPA’s Acting Executive Director, Mr. Henry A. William attribute the death of people from sicknesses like bleeding nose, chest pains, sore throat, diarrhea, among others to environmental degradation and pollution. He warned that environmental issues be taken seriously to also protect biodiversity.
The participants in their recommendation called for the establishment of sanitary land fill in all major provincial cities, the stoppage of beach mining, intensive reforestation programs, increase public awareness about the environment, as well as proper waste management to address the prevailing environmental problems in the country.