08/07/2025
🌧️ Advocacy Statement by LESEAN
Tackling the Flood Crisis in Monrovia: A Call to Action
The Liberia Eco-Graphic Sustainability and Environmental Advocacy Network (LESEAN) expresses deep concern over the rising threat of flooding in Monrovia and its surrounding communities. Once a seasonal expectation, rainfall has now become a source of destruction—largely intensified by human actions such as poor waste management, deforestation, unregulated construction, and government inaction.
🚨 The Problem
Flooding is no longer just a natural occurrence—it’s a man-made disaster. When communities dump waste into drains, build in wetlands, and cut down trees without replanting, we weaken our ability to manage water and protect lives. Poor drainage systems, lack of maintenance, and weak enforcement of zoning laws area turning rainfall into tragedy.
❗ The Impacts
The results are devastating:
>Families lose their homes, belongings, and in some cases, their lives.
>Waterborne diseases like cholera and malaria spread rapidly through floodwaters mixed with garbage and sewage.
>Schools are closed, businesses suffer, and the most vulnerable—children, the elderly, and the poor—are left behind.
✅ What Must Be Done
LESEAN calls for immediate and coordinated action, including:
>Community clean-up campaigns and strong public education to stop trash dumping.
>Better urban planning that protects wetlands and relocates at-risk residents.
>Upgraded drainage systems and flood-control infrastructure.
>Tree planting and wetland restoration to rebuild nature’s flood defenses.
>Early warning systems and emergency preparedness in all vulnerable areas.
📌 Our Recommendations
>To Citizens: Stop dumping waste, protect your drains, and raise your voice for better planning.
>To Community Leaders: Mobilize your neighborhoods, lead clean-ups, and enforce local bylaws.
>To Government Agencies: Enforce zoning laws, invest in drainage upgrades, and work with partners for climate resilience funding.
🙌 Final Word from LESEAN
Flooding in Monrovia is a preventable crisis. If we act now—together—we can protect lives, restore our environment, and build a resilient future. LESEAN is open through awareness to support communities, leaders, and government in this mission. Let’s not wait for another disaster to demand change.
Act today. Protect tomorrow.
Sustainability is key.