By George K. Momo
MONROVIA, Oct. 24 (LINA) – Residents between Garlo and Bilebo in Grand Gedeh County have raised serious concerns over the alarming rate of deforestation in the deep forest area, near the Krahn-Grebo Park allegedly for cocoa farming and other activities.
Speaking in an interview with journalists that visited the area over the weekend, a resident identified as Madam Comfort Wiah said the forest, which should be a major source of benefit for the local population, is being rapidly destroyed.
According to her, individuals brought into the area are cutting down trees, brushing around the trees, planting cocoa, and applying chemicals around the forest to expand their farms.
“As you can see in the forest, our forests have been damaged by the people that were brought here. They brought the people in this part of this country working for them planting cocoa and doing other things for them,” she said.
Wiah lamented that while the forest belongs to the local people, they are not benefiting from it, and its continuous destruction will have dire consequences for the future.
She warned that if the people continue to farm in such a way, it will completely destroy the forest and cause irreparable damage, emphasizing that they should be benefiting.
Madam Comfort Wiah believes that if nothing is done to stop the destruction; there will be no forest left in a few years, which will affect tourism, research, and support from non-governmental organizations among others.
“If we continue to do it that way, the forest will finish. NGOs will not come in. Four to five years from now, there will be no forest in this part,” she added.
She is however calling on the Government of Liberia, through the Forestry Development Authority (FDA), the Liberia Immigration Services (LIS) and other relevant agencies, to urgently intervene and stop the illegal clearing of the forest for cocoa farming.
She pointed out the need for immediate action to protect the forest for the current and future generations.